The war in the Middle East and ongoing drought are increasing the costs of milk production. However, dairy producers are currently unable to raise milk prices significantly due to a lack of renegotiation with retailers. While major companies like Sodiaal and Lactalis are still struggling to move above the 400 €/1,000 l base price for September, some others are showing slight increases. Laïta and Sill have raised their prices to 405 €/1,000 l, and there are also some movements at Savencia and Eurial. Despite these small changes, they are far from compensating for the rising costs. At the Space 2026, the global livestock exhibition held in Rennes in September, some industry leaders saw this as a positive shift in the market trend. Jean-Michel Javelle, president of Sodiaal, expressed cautious optimism, noting that the current stability in milk collection is good news and that market fundamentals remain strong. However, he warned that milk collection is likely to decline this winter in France and neighboring countries as the 2026 forage enters animal feed rations. This, he believes, could lead to higher commodity prices and, in turn, higher milk prices. In the meantime, Sodiaal estimates that its additional costs related to energy and packaging have reached between 30 and 40 million euros since the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz began. Farmers are also facing rising costs, which are not fully reflected in the production cost figures published by the Cniel (482 €/1,000 l in 2025). Javelle emphasized the need to renegotiate with GMS (large grocery retailers), despite statements from Minister Annie Genevard. He argued that farmers and manufacturers cannot bear the inflation alone and suggested measures like tax exemptions for stockpiling to improve resilience during difficult periods. The National Federation of Milk Producers (FNPL) warns that without sufficient support, many farmers may be forced to stop operations, leading to a decline in France’s milk production capacity. In the short term, trade unionists are pushing for a price increase to cover the additional costs, estimated at 40 to 60 €/1,000 l since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the Unell association, representing dairy producers, is continuing its mediation with Lactalis on the price of milk. Delphine Macé, president of Unell, noted that negotiations have continued since mid-June, with two meetings held and a third planned for September 25. She emphasized that the current milk prices set by Lactalis have not been agreed upon by Unell and called for the company to be more transparent about its transformation costs and its vision for milk volumes.