Polish raw milk prices rise for a second month but remain 16% below last year
Poland's average raw milk purchase price rose 6% in September to about 1.87 zloty per litre. It is still 16.3% below a year earlier, and only Podlaskie voivodeship exceeded 2 zloty.
Raw milk purchase prices in Poland continued to rise in September, but dairy farmers' revenues remain well below last year's levels. The increase points to a partial recovery after several months of falling prices, though conditions for farms are still difficult.
According to Statistics Poland (GUS), the national average purchase price in September 2026 was 187.11 zloty per hectolitre, or roughly 1.87 zloty per litre. That is 6% more than in August and the second consecutive monthly increase. At the same time, the price was 16.3% lower than in September 2025, meaning farmers received on average about 36 grosz less per litre than a year earlier.
Differences between regions
The highest average price in September was recorded in Podlaskie voivodeship (province) at 201.45 zloty per hectolitre, about 2.01 zloty per litre. It was the only region where the average passed the 2 zloty mark. Warmian-Masurian voivodeship followed with 188.92 zloty per hectolitre, and Masovian voivodeship with 187.52 zloty.
The lowest prices were paid in Łódź voivodeship (172.08 zloty per hectolitre), Pomeranian voivodeship (176.87) and Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship (178.80). The ranking of regions was the same as in August; only the price levels changed.
The gap between Podlaskie and Łódź in September was 29.37 zloty per hectolitre, or about 29 grosz per litre. For a farm selling 100,000 litres a month, that corresponds to nearly 30,000 zloty in revenue, as an indicative comparison.
Costs and limits of averages
A higher purchase price does not by itself guarantee good profitability, which also depends on production costs: feed, energy, fertiliser, fuel, repairs and debt servicing. A regional average is also not what every producer receives. The price paid to a specific farm can differ depending on fat and protein content, delivery volume and the settlement rules of the dairy.
