Ireland: What is the whey forward for dairy demand from China?

A trade mission led by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State for new market development Martin Heydon to China and South Korea concluded last week, and there was plenty to learn from both legs of the mission. One standout takeaway was the changing face of demand for dairy from China. The demand is still there, and will continue to grow. But what drives that demand is set to change. Up to now, milk powder for infant formula has been the main driving force for China’s demand for dairy produce. However, this is set to take a backseat in the future to powder geared towards health and nutritional products. Speaking to Agriland in Shanghai during the trade mission, Minister Heydon explained this shifting demand landscape. “We produce [infant formula] very well, it’s very safe and nutritious, and about 10% of all the infant formula in the world is Irish. It continues to be a very important market for us. But with a declining birthrate, ...