U.S. Dairy Exports Trending Higher

U.S. suppliers maintaining most of their overseas business.

Though still trailing last year’s pace, U.S. dairy exporters continue to move relatively strong volumes of milk powder, cheese, whey products and lactose in the early months of 2015, according to USDEC’s latest trade data report.

In April, U.S. export volume and value were up for the third straight month. U.S. suppliers shipped 185,342 tons of milk powders, cheese, butterfat, whey and lactose in April, the second-highest figure ever (on a daily-average basis).

Lactose, whey protein isolate (WPI) and fluid milk exports reached record levels in April, while exports of nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder (NDM/SMP) were the third-most ever.

These results suggest U.S. suppliers are maintaining most of their overseas business, despite the softest market conditions in six years. Exporters in both Europe and Oceania had more product to sell in April; EU-28 milk production was up an estimated 2 percent and New Zealand milk production was up 8.5 percent. In addition, Australia and Argentina posted 3 percent gains. Increased supply has put U.S. exporters in a very competitive world marketplace.

For the U.S. market, solid export numbers for NDM/SMP were particularly critical in preventing powder stocks from continuing to accumulate. Almost 59 percent of U.S. NDM/SMP production for the month was sold overseas, resulting in a small reduction in April carryout inventories.

To use interactive charts with current and historical trade data, see usdec.org's page on U.S. export data.

To download a printable pdf summary of the April trade data, click here.

The U.S. Dairy Export Council is primarily supported by Dairy Management Inc. through the dairy farmer checkoff that builds on collaborative industry partnerships with processors, trading companies and others to build global demand for U.S. dairy products.