In 2019, China imported a total of 2.9731 million tons of dairy products, up 12.6 percent year-on-year, with imports of 11.125 billion US dollars, up 10.6 percent year-on-year. Among them, the import of dry dairy products reached 2.0488 million tons, up 6% year on year, and the import value reached 9.965 billion US dollars, up 9.6% year on year. Liquid milk 924,300 tons, a year-on-year increase of 31.3%, imports of 1.16 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 19.2%. From a single category, the import volume of cream and whey decreased significantly, while the import volume of other categories increased to different extents.

Import of

In 2019, China imported 2,048,800 tons of dry dairy products, up 6% year-on-year, with the import value of US $9.965 billion, up 9.6% year-on-year. Of these, 1.014,800 tons, or 49.5 percent, were imported in large packs of milk powder. Whey was 453,400 tons, accounting for 22.1%; Infant distribution is 345,500 tons, accounting for 16.9%. In October, the import of dry dairy products reached 128.2 million tons, up 0.3% year on year, and the import value was 699 million US dollars, down 2.1% year on year. Among them, 50,300 tons of imported bulk milk powder, accounting for 392%, 35,500 tons of whey, accounting for 27.7%, and 26,800 tons of infant formula milk powder, accounting for 20.9%. In November, the import of dry dairy products was 191,100 tons, up 15.2% year on year, and the import value was 937 million US dollars, up 20.7% year on year. Among them, 88,000 tons of milk powder, accounting for 46%, 41,500 tons of whey, accounting for 21.7%, and 34,700 tons of baby powder, accounting for 18.1%. In December, imports of dry dairy products reached 181,700 tons, up 19 percent year on year, and imports reached 805 million US dollars, up 7.8 percent year on year.

Bulk powder: In 2019, China imported a total of 1,014,800 tons of bulk milk powder, with a year-on-year increase of 26.6%. The import volume was US $3.124 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 28.6%. The average price was US $3,078 / ton, with a year-on-year increase of 1.6%. Among them, in October, imported 50,300 tons of bulk milk powder, up 18.3% year on year. The import amount was us $173 million, up 36% year on year. The average price was US $3,445 / ton, up 15% year on year. In November, imports of bulk milk powder reached 88,000 tons, up 23.9% year on year, and the import volume reached 291 million DOLLARS, up 45.5% year on year. The average price was 3,311 DOLLARS/ton, up 17.4% year on year. In December, the import volume of bulk milk powder was 93,900 tons, up 52.9% year on year. The import volume was 314 million US dollars, up 75.1% year on year. The average price was 3342 US dollars per ton, up 14.5% year on year.

Figure 1 Monthly import quantity of bulk powder in 2018-2019

Whey: Imported 453,400 tons of whey in 2019, down 18.6% year on year, and imported 607 million DOLLARS, down 4.2% year on year. The average price was 1338 dollars/ton, up 17.7% year on year. In October, the import volume of whey decreased by 8.8% year-on-year to 355,500 tons, and the import volume decreased by 5.4% year-on-year to 44 million US dollars. The average price was 1,248 US dollars per ton, up by 3.8% year-on-year. In November, the import volume of whey was 41,500 tons, decreasing by 8.6% year on year, and the import volume was $49 million, down by 19.5% year on year. The average price was $1182 / ton, down by 12% year on year. In December, the import of whey was 43,700 tons, 1.7% less than the same period last year. The import amount was 51 million US dollars, 4.8% less than the same period last year. The average price was 1,168 US dollars per ton, 3.1% less than the same period last year.

Figure 2 Monthly import quantity of whey in 2018-2019

Cheese: Imported 114,900 tons of cheese in 2019, an increase of 6% year on year; imported $522 million, an increase of 1.7% year on year; average price of $4,545 / ton, a decrease of 4% year on year. In October, the import volume of cheese was 0.4 million tons, up 18.1% year on year. The import volume was 0.4 million US dollars, up 15.7% year on year. The average price was 4,698 US dollars per ton, down 2% year on year. In November, the import of cheese was 11,500 tons, up 20% year on year, and the import amount was 52 million US dollars, up 16.1% year on year. The average price was 4,560 US dollars per ton, down 3.2% year on year. In December, the import of cheese was 9,400 tons, decreased 5.5% year on year, and the import amount was 43 million US dollars, decreased 7.7% year on year. The average price was 4,575 US dollars per ton, decreased 2.3% year on year.

Figure 3 Monthly import quantity of cheese in 2018-2019

Butter: Imported 85,500 tons of butter in 2019, 24.5% lower than that of the previous year; imported 466 million US dollars, 33.1% lower than that of the previous year; average price was 5,455 US dollars/ton, 11.3% lower than that of the previous year. Among them, the imported butter in October was 41 thousand tons, down 10.4% year on year, and the imported amount was 23 million US dollars, down 17.8% year on year. The average price was 5650 US dollars per ton, down 8.3% year on year. In November, the imported butter was 11,900 tons, an increase of 108% year on year, and the imported amount was 0.6 million US dollars, an increase of 73.8% year on year. The average price was 4,995 US dollars per ton, a decrease of 16.4% year on year. In December, the import of butter was 5,900 tons, up 96.2% year on year, and the import amount was 31 million US dollars, up 70.6% year on year. The average price was 5267 US dollars per ton, down 13.1% year on year.

Fresh milk: Imported 890,600 tons of packaged milk in 2019, with a year-on-year increase of 32.3%. The import volume was US $1,101 million, with a year-on-year increase of 20.7%. The average price was US $1,236 / ton, with a year-on-year decrease of 8.8%. In October, the import volume of packaged milk was 78,200 tons, up 32.2% over the same period last year. The import volume was us $96 million, up 9.5% over the same period last year. The average price was US $1224 / ton, down 17.2% over the same period last year. In November, the import volume of packaged milk was 79,400 tons, up 9.2% year on year. The import volume was us $106 million, up 9.4% year on year. The average price was US $1,333 / ton, up 0.2% year on year. In December, the import volume of packaged milk was 75,400 tons, up 5.5% year on year. The import volume was 89 million US dollars, down 1.5% year on year. The average price was 1,186 US dollars per ton, down 6.6% year on year.

Yogurt: The imported yogurt in 2019 is 33,800 tons, increasing by 9.6% year on year; the imported value is usd59 million, decreasing by 3.1% year on year; the average price is USD1,742 / ton, decreasing by 11.6% year on year. Among them, the imported yogurt in October was 290,000 tons, up 11% compared to the same period last year. The import amount was 0.05 million US dollars, down 10.7% compared to the same period last year. The average price was 1,684 US dollars per ton, down 19.6% compared to the same period last year. In November, the imported yogurt was 230,000 tons, up 6.2% year on year, the import value was us $0.04 million, down 4.9% year on year, and the average price was US $1,768 / ton, down 10.5% year on year. In December, the imported yogurt was 2,100 tons, down 11.9% year on year, and the import value was us $0.03 million, down 19.9% year on year. The average price was US $1,657 / ton, down 9.1% year on year.

Export situation

Dry dairy products: In 2019, China exported a total of 25,700 tons of dry dairy products, an increase of 6.2% year on year, with the export value of us $401 million, up 21.8% year on year. The main export product is baby powder, accounting for 70.4%. Among them, the export volume of dry dairy products in October was 2,364 tons, down 30.6% year-on-year, and the export volume was US $37,676,600, down 28.9% year-on-year. In November, the export volume of dry dairy products was 1983.21 tons, 29.2% less than that of the previous year. The export volume was USD 32,410,100, 23% less than that of the previous year. In December, the export of dry dairy products was 1986.72 tons, 27.4% less than that of the previous year. The export value was USD 29.609 million, 20.6% less than that of the previous year.

Figure 4 Monthly export quantity of baby powder in 2018-2019

Liquid milk: In 2019, China exported a total of 28,664 tons of liquid milk, a decrease of 4.4% compared to the same period last year. The export value was US $0.3 billion, a decrease of 3.1% compared to the same period last year. The average price was US $1,050 / ton, up 1.3% compared to the same period last year. Among them, the export of liquid milk in October was 2486.75 tons, up 0.2% year-on-year, and the export of 2.75 million DOLLARS, up 7.9% year-on-year. In November, the export volume of liquid milk was 2566.16 tons, up 0.6% year on year, and the export volume was 2.61 million DOLLARS, up 8.3% year on year. Exports of liquid milk in December were 2,923.51 tons, down 1.4% year on year, and $2.9 million, down 0.8% year on year.