Selected Results of the IFCN Dairy Network Milk Prices and Costs of Milk Production in 2003

Within the IFCN Dairy Network milk prices and costs of milk production have been analysed from 31 countries for the year 2003. A wide diversity of milk prices between the countries could be observed with > 35 US-$/100 kg milk in Switzerland, Norway and Canada and < 15 US-$ in Argentina and Pakistan. Costs of milk production differ significantly between the countries, and within the countries as well. The highest costs of milk production (50 - 60 US- $/100 kg milk) are found in Switzerland and on average sized farms in the EU, the lowest costs in Argentina (10 - 15 US-$). For the future, a "world market price for milk," which was around 15 - 20 US-$/100 kg milk in 2003, is expected to be higher and might end at around 28 US-$.