Australian dairy farmgate 2025-26: Saputo, Fonterra, ADFC, Bulla, ACM, Bega

Opening prices are changing by the day with processors stepping up as supply tightens. Here’s the latest prices in an easy-to-read table.

Five processors have offered step-ups to their opening offers, with several pushing their prices up by as much as 30 cents per kilogram of milk solids.

Fonterra is now delivering a weighted farmgate average of $8.90 per kilo milk solids, up 30c on its June 2 opening offer, while rival Saputo has stepped up between 15c and 20c, depending on the region.

Saputo management confirmed their price range now hovered between $9 and $9.10 per kilo milk solids, with a 15c lift applicable in northern and southwest Victoria as well as South Australia, while a 20c uplift has been offered to Gippsland and Tasmanian suppliers.

The big players are joined by Australian Dairy Farmers Corporation, which has lifted by 30c to $9.30 per kilo milk solids.

Burra Foods has given a 20c rejig to its price range, heading from $8.60 to $9.10 to the new range of $8.80 to $9.30 per kilo milk solids.

South West Dairy Group, a farmer-cooperative start up, has also provided a refreshed offering of $9.05 per kilo milk solids, with the season start date a fortnight away.

Warncoort farmer Mick Buttigieg supplied ADFC and said larger processors must be held accountable for lower opening milk prices.

“If it weren’t for the smaller, niche companies coming out with a better price, the bigger processors would’ve gotten away with a cheaper price,” the southwest Victorian farmer said.

“It’s not just the farmers that suffer a poor milk price, the whole town suffers.”

He currently manages 1000 milking cows across two properties in northern Victoria, and his Warncoort farm. He destocked 300 cattle, after he started culling last year due to drought conditions. They were still supplying their farm with town water.

“(Opening prices are) disheartening to the industry,” Mr Buttigieg said.

“It’s not just the monetary figure, it’s the impact of the price. When Fonterra came out with $8.60 there would’ve been a lot of people who contemplated their future, and I mean their mental health.

“It wouldn’t matter how good a farmer you are and how well you do your budgets, at the price it is impossible.”

Won Wron farmer Aaron Thomas said there was widespread hope from farmers that prices improved before July 1.

“There was a fair bit of disappointment about that $8.60 figure. Both the processor and the farmer has to get their fair share,” the Gippsland farmer said.

Milk2Market commercial development manager Richard Lange said drought was a key factor behind the series of step ups, with supply in southwest Victoria a lingering concern.

“Of the big three, Bega has been a price leader but these recent moves by both Fonterra and Saputo evens up the playing field,” he said.

“The added issue is Fonterra looking to find a buyer for its Australian assets and they would want to maintain their milk supply, and this keeps them competitive.

“Despite this recent rain, southwest Victorian farmers are recovering from drought and have at least a six-week window to work through where they have to keep up feed and that comes at a cost on farm.”

Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mark Billing said while the five step-ups were a positive development, there was still room for price improvement.

Apart from the recent round of five step ups, two other processors — Australian Consolidated Milk and Bulla — have provided revised offerings ahead of the new financial year.

Last week, Bulla provided a 30c lift on its initial June 2 offering, pushing its price band from $8.40 to $9.20 to a refreshed range of $8.70 to $9.50 per kilo milk solids.

Less than 48 hours after dairy deadline day, ACM also delivered a 15c boost, with its opening weighted price now sitting at $9 per kilo milk solids.