September 7, 2004

Milk Output Rises In Victoria, Australia
 

Milk supply in northern Victoria is recovering but it still has not reached pre-drought levels, the Murray Goulburn co-operative in Australia said.

Field services manager Ross Greenaway said statewide milk output was improving with the January to June production this year, as compared with the same period last year.

"And in July, it was about four to five per cent up on the same month last year," Mr Greenaway said.

"We're also seeing a recovery in the northern region which has been hard-hit by the drought."

Mr Greenaway said the recovery would be long-term, but the trend was heading in the right direction.

"There are some positive signs with some farms which dropped out during the drought coming back into production," he said.

"We have a policy of growing our milk supply and that has helped us pay good returns to suppliers."

The company processes about 36 per cent of all Australian milk.