Price paid to producers closes the first half of the year with a 33% increase.

Research from Cepea (Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics), at Esalq/USP, shows that the average price of raw milk collected by dairies rose in June, reaching R$ 2.7464/liter in the net "Brazil Average," an increase of 3.02% compared to May, but a decrease of 0.86% compared to June 2025, in real terms (values were deflated by the IPCA of June 2026). With this result, the price of raw milk closes the first half of the year with an accumulated increase of 33.1% and an average of R$ 2.4659/liter – this value, however, is 14% below that verified in the same period last year. The appreciation in the field occurs due to the firmness in the derivatives market and the slower-than-expected growth in collection in some regions. The ICAP-L (Milk Collection Index) registered an increase of 2.76% from May to June in the Brazil Average; However, year-to-date, the drop is 11.4%. And the Effective Operating Cost (EOC), according to research by Cepea, remained stable in June, with a slight increase of 0.24% in the "Brazil Average," a result associated with the decline in prices of raw materials used in animal feed, in contrast to the increase in demand for the product. In the first half of the year, the EOC rose 2.04%. Research conducted by Cepea, with support from OCB (Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives), shows that in June, while the prices of mozzarella cheese and powdered milk remained practically stable, with slight increases of 0.08% and 0.38%, respectively, the price of UHT milk registered a significant drop of 3.07% compared to May. As a result, the averages were R$ 35.19/kg for mozzarella, R$ 31.89/kg for powdered milk, and R$ 4.53/liter for UHT milk. In the international market, dairy imports fell by 4.17% from May to June, totaling 216.76 million liters in milk equivalent, according to Secex data. Compared to June 2025, external purchases increased by 35.11%, and considering the first half of the year, external purchases are 14% higher than in the same period last year. Given the context in which reduced stocks and slower growth in milk collection have kept competition for raw materials high and delayed price adjustments, the expectation is that the market will show stability with an upward bias and that the third quarter will be marked by a gradual increase in supply. 

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.