OFFICIAL FAO INDICATOR
FOOD · MONTHLY
FAO Dairy Price Index
index (2014-2016=100) · Base: 2014-2016 = 100 · Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ↗
ANIMSTOK MARKET SUMMARY
Rule-based analysis · Based on 139 published observations
Medium Confidence
The FAO Dairy Price Index held broadly stable in July 2026, falling 0.7% month-on-month. The index is significantly below last year's level, having fallen 24.8% over the past year. At 116.2, it stands 16% above its 2014–2016 base period.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (official)·Latest: July 2026·Calculation: deterministic rule-based prose, not AI-generated
CURRENT VALUE
116.2
index (2014-2016=100) · July 2026
MONTH-ON-MONTH
-0.7%
vs previous month
YEAR-ON-YEAR
-24.8%
vs same month last year
HISTORICAL CHART
139 observations · Jan 2015 – Jul 2026Dashed line = 2014–2016 base period (100). Data source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (official).
OBSERVED MARKET PATTERN
Statistical patterns from published observations only — no event or trade evidence
- Tracking 16.2% above the 2014–2016 base period of 100
- 12-month direction: downward trend (−24.8% year-on-year)
- 3-month momentum: weakening (index lower than 3 months ago)
- Price volatility: elevated (12-month coefficient of variation: 9.5%)
- Sustained downward run: 7 consecutive months of monthly declines (within the last 12 months)
WHY THIS MATTERS
Dairy Manufacturers
Milk powder, butter, and whey input costs for packaged food producers are closely correlated with this index.
Retail Chains
Shelf pricing pressure on imported cheese, ghee, and dairy products tracks this benchmark with a 1–3 month lag.
HoReCa
Beverage and dessert categories in high-volume kitchens are exposed when dairy prices trend upward.
Exporters
International dairy benchmarks shape pricing expectations for Indian dairy export negotiations.
WHAT TO WATCH
Monitoring variables — not procurement recommendations
1Global Dairy Trade (GDT) fortnightly auction results — a leading indicator for the FAO Dairy index
2EU Monthly Milk Production Report (released ~5th of each month)
3India ex-farm milk prices: seasonal pattern — flush season April–June, peak demand October–November
4China import volumes for whole milk powder and skimmed milk powder (China is the swing buyer)
5New Zealand drying season calendar — April to September is the primary southern-hemisphere production window
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EVIDENCE & METHODOLOGY
PublisherFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FrequencyMonthly (released ~6th of each month)
Base period2014-2016 = 100
Observations139 published observations · Jan 2015 – Jul 2026
Summary methodDeterministic rule-based prose computed from real observations — no language model involved
Confidence logicFreshness (days since latest) + historical depth + corroborating datasets (0 linked) + FAO source quality
Official sourcehttps://www.fao.org ↗
MethodologyFAO methodology notes ↗
ATTRIBUTION
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2026. FAO Dairy Price Index. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://www.fao.org. Licence: https://www.fao.org/contact-us/terms/en/. AnimStok does not claim Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations endorsement. The AnimStok Market Summary is rule-based analysis, not Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations content.