Fonterra FY26 Results: $9.69 Milk Price, $3.4bn Profit
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
Total milk production in New Zealand decreased 2% in January compared to the same month last year, says Fonterra.
Milk production for the 12 months to January is down 2% on the same period the previous year.
It says for the remainder of the New Zealand production season production will continue to be influenced by changes in farming systems, such as decreased stocking rates and supplementary feeding, as farmers respond to the low milk price environment.
Australian production in December decreased 4% on the same month the previous year. Production for the 12 months to December was up 1% on the same period the previous year. However, the rate of growth continues to slow as pasture growth conditions have deteriorated due to dry weather in many dairying regions.
NZ exports increased 6% in December compared to the same month the previous year, with increases seen in most major dairy categories, excluding WMP and SMP. Exports for the 12 months to December increased 4% on the same period the previous year. An increase of around 117,000 tonnes for the 12 months was largely driven by cheese up 18%, SMP up 7% and AMF up 5%, but partially offset by butter down 5% and WMP down 3%.
Australian exports increased 1% in December on the same month in the previous year. Significant increases in cheese, up 26%, and fluid and fresh dairy, up 6%, were almost fully offset by WMP, whey powder and SMP, whichwere all down.
Exports for the 12 months to December remain strong, up 7% on the same period in the previous year. This is largely due to SMP being up 23%, cheese up 14%, and fluid and fresh dairy up 9%.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.