New Zealand dairy farmers can expect a record opening milk price forecast for the 2025/26 season, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
The report says firm commodity prices are doing the heavy lifting, along with a weaker New Zealand dollar supporting export returns – providing a firm start point for the new season.
“The global fundamentals remain mostly supportive for the months ahead, but a complex and uncertain global backdrop cannot be discounted and requires some caution around budgeting of farmgate pricing,” report author Rabobank senior agricultural analyst Emma Higgins said.
“Our base case expectation is for an opening farmgate milk price of around $9.50/kgMS for the 2025/26 season, assuming a spot exchange rate of USc 0.59.”

Emma Higgins, Senior Agriculture Analyst, RaboResearch