Retail prices of long-life milk, pasteurised milk and mozzarella declined in October 2026 in Brazil’s Paraná state, while the average price received by dairy farmers remained stable at R$2.81 per litre. The latest figures, reported by the state’s Department of Rural Economics (Deral), indicate changing price trends across the dairy supply chain.
Supermarket prices for long-life milk decreased by 0.86% over the preceding 30 days. Pasteurised milk recorded a larger decline of 1.35%, while mozzarella prices fell by 0.55%.
Despite the reduction in consumer prices, farmgate milk prices remained unchanged, providing some stability to dairy producers amid changing retail market conditions.
The developments highlight the differences between farmgate and retail price movements, with dairy processors and retailers continuing to respond to domestic supply, consumer demand and international trade conditions.
Retail Dairy Prices Record Declines Across Key Products
According to Deral, the decline affected three important dairy categories in Paraná’s retail market.
| Dairy product | Retail price change in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Long-life milk | -0.86% |
| Pasteurised milk | -1.35% |
| Mozzarella | -0.55% |
| Farmgate milk price | Stable at R$2.81/litre |
The reduction in pasteurised milk prices was the largest among the three products monitored, followed by long-life milk and mozzarella.
These changes are significant for the dairy industry because they reflect price adjustments at the consumer level, while producers continue to receive relatively stable returns for raw milk.
Deral’s dairy-sector analyst, veterinarian Thiago De Marchi da Silva, also highlighted developments in Paraná’s international dairy trade, pointing to changes in import volumes and export performance.
Dairy Imports Increase 19% During January–September 2026
Paraná recorded an approximately 19% increase in dairy imports during the first nine months of 2026 compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
The state imported 8,290 tonnes of dairy products between January and September 2026, compared with 6,970 tonnes during the same period a year earlier.
| Import indicator | January–September 2025 | January–September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy imports | 6,970 tonnes | 8,290 tonnes |
| Year-on-year change | — | Approximately +19% |
The increase highlights the growing role of imported dairy products in the state’s market. Import movements are particularly relevant for domestic processors and dairy farmers because additional international supplies can influence product availability, competition and market pricing.
Trade within Mercosur countries remains an important consideration for Brazil’s dairy sector, as regional supply flows can affect the competitiveness of locally processed dairy products.
Whey Leads Paraná’s Dairy Export Performance
While imports increased, whey remained the leading product in Paraná’s overseas dairy sales.
According to De Marchi da Silva, whey accounted for almost 50% of the state’s dairy export revenue and approximately 75% of the total export volume shipped abroad.
Whey is an important by-product of cheese manufacturing and is widely used in food processing, nutritional products and animal feed. Its contribution to export earnings demonstrates the commercial importance of dairy processing beyond conventional milk and cheese production.
The strong contribution of whey also highlights opportunities for dairy processors to improve the utilisation of milk components and generate additional value from processing operations.
Dairy Market Faces Changing Supply and Trade Dynamics
The latest developments in Paraná illustrate the complex relationship between farmgate prices, retail prices and international dairy trade.
While retail prices declined across selected products, the farmgate milk price remained stable. At the same time, rising imports and the continued importance of whey exports demonstrate how domestic production and international trade interact within the dairy market.
For dairy farmers, maintaining production efficiency and controlling input costs remain important for protecting margins. Processors must also balance raw milk procurement, product pricing and competition from imported dairy products.
As Paraná’s dairy industry navigates these developments, changes in consumer prices, regional trade and export demand will remain important indicators of the sector’s performance.
The latest figures reinforce the importance of monitoring the entire dairy value chain, from milk production and processing to retail distribution and international trade.
