2023 EU dairy trade review

Over the course of 2023, exports saw a steady increase compared to the previous year, whilst imports declined by a similar margin. The EU continues to remain the most important market for dairy trade, despite Brexit. Total export volume for 2023 was 1.23m tonnes, an increase of 25,800t (2.2%) from 2022. While the level of exports to the EU declined marginally by 3100t (-0.3%), encouragingly, exports to non-EU destinations picked up during the year. Powdered and condensed milk saw the largest increase in export volumes, up by 29,300t. This was followed by butter and other dairy fats, yogurt and buttermilk, and cheese and curd increasing by 5,500t, 4,200t and 3,200t respectively. Milk and cream, and whey and whey products were an exception to the basket with exports declining by 15,100t (-1.9%) and 1,300t (-1.8%) respectively. The significant increase in exports was driven by Bangladesh 5,100t, Egypt 4,400t, Nigeria 3,300t, United Arab Emirates up by 2,300t, South Africa 1,900t, ...