Browse Data and Analysis

Favorable pricing and weather conditions for New Zealand cattle farmers have resulted in a retention of finishing cattle on farms and less slaughter in 2024. Farm operations face challenges with continuing financial pressure such as high debt, increasing on-farm inflation, and declining farmgate margins.

New Zealand fluid milk production is forecasted to be 21.3 million metric tons (MMT) in the 2025 market year (MY).

FAS/Wellington 2025 market year production forecast would be the highest annual production on record, If realized. In addition, post is forecasting that beef and veal exports in 2025 to also be the highest volume for New Zealand in a single year.

The Bulgarian livestock industry is experiencing strong production growth in 2024, following the expansion of swine numbers and commercial cattle numbers in 2023.

FAS/Sofia expects growth in Bulgarian poultry production in 2024, driven by declining feed/production costs and improving competitiveness, as well as by continued growth in consumer incomes, travel, and tourism.

New Zealand fluid milk production is forecasted to be 21.2 million metric tons (MMT) in the 2024 market year (MY). This is a decrease on the previous 5-year average of ~21.6 MMT, reflecting the decreasing herd numbers and the short-term effects of the following: El Niño weather pattern, softening revenue, high cost of debt servicing, and challenging feed and fertilizer prices.

In 2023 Bulgarian dairy farming stabilized with a growth in milk deliveries. This was due to improved milk yields despite continued decline in the dairy cow herd, and due to record high fluid milk imports.

Following a gradual decline in the national cattle herd over the previous years, breeding cow numbers for beef and dairy are looking to stabilize in 2024. At the end of 2023, a new national coalition government was elected.

New Zealand fluid milk production in 2024 is forecast to decline by 0.5 percent to 21.4 million metric tons (MMT). This situation results from recent decreases in farm gate milk price forecasts, as well as rising interest rates, which are expected to...

Since reaching peak numbers in 2016, the New Zealand national cattle herd has been gradually declining, and this is expected to continue in 2024.

FAS/Wellington’s New Zealand milk production forecast is raised for 2023 to 21.5 million metric tons (MMT) as a result of favorable pasture growing conditions entering the year and strong milk production during the first four months of 2023.

Since hitting peak numbers in 2016, the New Zealand national cattle herd has been very gradually declining and this is expected to continue in 2023.