DairyCo

EU Dairy Imports

Published 3 September 10

EU Dairy Imports

• In the first six months of 2010, some 15,000t of butter and 37,000t of cheese were imported. Butter imports were 62% higher than in 2009, but cheese imports were 7% down.

• Butter imports into the EU increased by 3,000t in 2009 compared with 2008 to 55,000t.

• Cheese imports in 2009 were unchanged from a year earlier, and amounted to 1% of total EU consumption.

Note: All data subject to retrospective changes.
Import data excludes imports for inward processing (for the manufacture of finished products that are subsequently exported).

Source: Eurostat

In the first five months of 2010, butter imports were 29% above 2009 levels. Total imports of butter in 2009 were 6% up on 2008 at 55,000t, amounting to under 3% of EU consumption. Imports are largely from New Zealand.

Cheese imports to May 2010 were 7% up on 2009. In 2009 cheese imports at 83,000 tonnes were unchanged from a year earlier, and amounted to 1% of EU consumption. The largest importer is the UK with 20,000 tonnes imported mainly from the Commonwealth, up by 1,000 tonnes from 2008.

There were 1,000 tonnes of whey powder and also 4,000 tonnes of casein and 3,000 tonnes of lactose imported in the first five months of 2010. Some 7,000 tonnes of casein were also imported under inward processing arrangements and 11,000 tonnes of liquid whey.