Processors in Romania collected 11.6% less cow’s milk in January–August 2026, while collection in the EU increased by 3%

Romania recorded the largest reported decline in cow’s milk collection in the EU during the first eight months of 2026, according to DG AGRI data updated on October 26. At European level, the quantity collected increased by 3%, while butter and skimmed milk powder production rose by 7.7% and 9%, respectively.

The quantity of cow’s milk collected by processors in Romania fell by 11.6% in January–August 2026 compared with the same period last year, the largest reduction reported in the European Union, according to European Commission data updated on October 26. This trend contrasts with the 3% increase in collection at EU level and the rise in European butter and skimmed milk powder production.

In brief

1.In January–August 2026, processors in Romania collected 11.6% less cow’s milk than during the same period in 2025, while collection in the EU increased by 3%. The indicator concerns deliveries to processors, not the entire milk production of farms.

2.Romania had the largest reported decline, followed by Estonia (−11%) and Latvia (−3%). At the other end of the scale, collection increased by 7.5% in Slovakia, 6.6% in Austria, and 6% in Germany and Slovenia.

3.EU production increased by 9% for skimmed milk powder, 7.7% for butter, 5.1% for fermented products, and 3.6% for cheese. Drinking milk rose by 1.1%, while cream increased by 0.1%.

4.Production fell by 3.7% for concentrated milk and by 4.4% for the category presented by the Milk Market Observatory as whole milk powder. In August, milk collection in the EU was 0.6% above the level recorded in August 2025.

5.For the full year 2026, the Commission estimates a 1.8% increase in milk production and a 3% increase in cheese exports, but a 3.1% reduction in whole milk powder production. These are forecasts, distinct from the results recorded during the first eight months.

Data from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, DG AGRI, places Romania 14.6 percentage points below the rate of change in collection across the Union as a whole. The difference compares percentage changes, without expressing a quantity of milk lost or wasted.

Collection measures the milk taken in by processing facilities. A decline in this indicator cannot automatically be translated into an identical reduction in total farm production, which also includes milk used or marketed through other channels. Furthermore, the published series do not establish the causes of the decline in Romania or its effect on prices paid by farmers or consumers.

During the same period, Estonia recorded an 11% reduction, while Latvia recorded a 3% reduction. Slovakia had the largest reported increase, at 7.5%, followed by Austria, at 6.6%, while Germany and Slovenia each grew by 6%. The DG AGRI comparative map does not include Luxembourg for confidentiality reasons.

European growth was also supported by other major producers: collection increased by 4% in the Netherlands, 3.8% in Italy, 2.7% in Poland, and 1.9% in France. In August, the last month covered by the update, the quantity collected in the EU exceeded the August 2025 level by 0.6%, a slower rate than the cumulative 3% increase recorded during the first eight months.

More milk collected across the Union coincided with increased production in most of the dairy categories monitored by the Commission. The largest increases were recorded for skimmed milk powder, at 9%, and butter, at 7.7%. Fermented products increased by 5.1%, while cheese rose by 3.6%.

The increase was more modest for drinking milk, at 1.1%, and cream, at 0.1%. By contrast, concentrated milk production fell by 3.7%, while the category summarized in the newsletter under the name whole milk powder declined by 4.4%. In the detailed chart, this latter aggregate also includes powdered cream and partly skimmed milk powder.

All these production changes compare January–August 2026 with the same period in 2025. They describe manufactured volumes, not the direct evolution of consumption or retail prices. Exports, imports, and changes in stocks may cause production and consumption to follow different paths.

The Commission’s autumn agricultural outlook provides a separate framework for the full year. The institution estimates that EU milk production will increase by 1.8% in 2026, in a context where heat, drought, and pressure on feed and water may affect farm activity, while production costs may reduce margins.

The Commission also anticipates an increase of approximately 3% in European cheese exports, while whole milk powder production is expected to decline by 3.1% over the year as a whole. These estimates do not replace the results from the first eight months and cannot be used as an explanation for the decline in collection in Romania.

The October update thus shows a clear divergence: the supply of milk to processors in the EU increased overall, while Romania recorded a sharp setback. The data confirm the difference in trends without allowing it to be attributed to a single cause.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/news/romania-pierde-11-6-din-laptele-colectat-in-timp-ce-ue-produce-cu-7-7-mai-mult-unt-si-cu-9-mai-mult-lapte-praf-degresat