In the first quarter of 2024, the European Union experienced a slight increase in the availability of dairy products, with milk deliveries rising by 1.5% to 35.29 billion liters. This increase primarily boosted cheese production, while butter and SMP production remained stagnant or decreased due to lower production and imports. Butter supplies fell because of these factors and limited retail demand. Cheese supplies surged due to increased production and imports, supported by robust retail demand. SMP supplies also increased due to higher imports, despite lower exports, particularly to China. The European Commission anticipates a minor rise in milk deliveries in 2024, leading to higher dairy production. However, subdued global demand could dampen dairy export growth, and new environmental and animal welfare standards could impact dairy production.