UK trade surplus for all dairy falls in 2020

By Bronwyn Magee The UK trade balance for all dairy products** was positive in volume terms in 2020 for the second year running. Including shipments of unprocessed milk, there was a surplus of 33k tonnes, which compares to a surplus of 93k tonnes in 2019. The main reason for the reduced surplus was an increase in the trade deficit for yoghurt. Fewer exports of butter and whole milk powder (WMP) were other factors behind the drop in the trade surplus. Higher imports of yoghurt, combined with a drop in exports resulted in the trade deficit increasing by 51k tonnes to reach 235k tonnes. This compares to a deficit of 184k tonnes in 2019. The cheese trade balance, while remaining in deficit, saw the largest improvement compared to 2019. While exports of cheese were 15k tonnes lower (7%), this was more than offset by the 8% drop in imports, equal to 41k tonnes. This is a result of fewer shipments from Ireland, which were down 12% on the year. The reduced foodservice demand resulting ...