In the first 11 months of last year, the Azores produced 7.09 million litres of milk compared to the same period of 2016, representing a growth of 1.3%, as the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry announced today.
 
According to the data already confirmed, in November 2017, the Region produced 768 thousand litres more than in the same month of 2016. The islands that contributed the most to this growth were São Miguel (2.29%), Pico (0.54%) and Terceira (0.10%).
 
The islands of São Miguel (66%) and Terceira (25%) account for 90% of the milk produced in the Azores.
 
If this positive trend continues in December, the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry expects to close 2017 surpassing the historical figures registered in the 2015 production, which totalled 609 million litres of milk.
 
Milk production is the most important sector of Azorean agriculture, generating wealth upstream and downstream production. Therefore, it is imperative to add more value to products, generate more revenue and contribute to the replacement of producers' income.
 
Regarding the price of milk paid in the Azores, there was an increase of 1.7% in November while the rise was at 0.4% at national and European level.