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Argentina: dairy sector
This page contains data regarding key components of the Argentinian dairy industry over a given time period.
The following report:
- highlights the complexity of the industry, which should be considered from several viewpoints: the commodities area, the variety of dairy derivatives, transit trade and domestic consumption;
- indicates how the export-import ratio is completely in favour of exports;
- stresses the particular features of a traditional product that is prevalent in domestic consumption: the dulce de leche.
| ARGENTINA: DAIRY SECTOR | ||||||||||
| x 1.000 ton | ||||||||||
| RAW MATERIAL AREA | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
| Number of dairy cows ('000) (Source: FAO) | 1.527 | 1.563 | 1.546 | |||||||
| Number of dairy cows ('000) (Source: Senasa) | 1.577 | 1.527 | 1.589 | 1.486 | ||||||
| Milk production (Mil Lt) | 11.553 | 11.557 | 11.326 | 10.590 | 7.516 | 8.308 | +10,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Farm gate milk price (€ x 100 lt) | 26,72 | 36,14 | 35,63 | 38,42 | 37,50 | 35,62 | -5,0% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| ± % Over the same period of the previous year | +35,2% | -1,4% | +7,8% | |||||||
| Corn price (Rosario) (€\Ton) | 170,0 | 232,8 | 211,3 | 164,6 | 163,9 | 165,1 (p) | +0,8% | Jan-Nov 2025 | ||
| Soybeans price (Rosario) (€\Ton) | 286,5 | 406,0 | 409,9 | 282,4 | 283,5 | 263,7 (p) | -7,0% | Jan-Nov 2025 | ||
| DAIRY PRODUCTION | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
| Liquid milk (Mil Lt) | 1.199 | 1.168 | 1.168 | 1.092 | 811 | 813 | +0,3% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
Butter
|
41 | 39 | 35 | 32 | 23 | 27 | +16,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
Cheese
|
460 | 460 | 477 | 461 | 339 | 356 | +5,1% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
Hard cheese
|
37 | 38 | 45 | 40 | 30 | 28 | -4,4% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
Semi-hard cheese
|
151 | 156 | 162 | 163 | 118 | 124 | +5,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
Soft cheese
|
181 | 176 | 181 | 187 | 139 | 144 | +3,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
Processed cheese
|
58 | 57 | 60 | 43 | 31 | 38 | +21,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Other cheeses (grated, powdered, melted, etc.) | 32 | 33 | 31 | 27 | 21 | 22 | +2,2% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
WMP (Whole milk powder)
|
234 | 213 | 185 | 173 | 112 | 126 | +13,3% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
|
SMP (Skimmed milk powder)
|
55 | 51 | 33 | 36 | 26 | 35 | +36,0% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Cream | 61 | 66 | 63 | 61 | 44 | 51 | +15,0% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Dulce de leche | 97 | 102 | 105 | 97 | 74 | 78 | +4,8% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Milk chocolate (Mil Lt) | 40 | 46 | 34 | 27 | 19 | 21 | +14,0% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Dairy desserts and custards | 27 | 27 | 24 | 11 | 7,6 | 10 | +32,1% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| Yogurt | 332 | 352 | 345 | 310 | 209 | 233 | +11,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | ||
| EXPORT | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
| Whey powder (HS 0404) | TOP importers | 40 | 38 | 40 | 45 | 31 | 34 | +10,7% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Butter (HS 0405) | TOP importers | 16 | 12 | 5,6 | 4,3 | 2,8 | 2,6 | -6,7% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Cheese (HS 0406) | TOP importers | 52 | 57 | 64 | 78 | 56 | 53 | -5,1% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) | TOP importers | 11 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 18 | +26,2% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229) | TOP importers | 128 | 133 | 96 | 112 | 77 | 82 | +7,1% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Infant milk formula (HS 190110) | TOP importers | 0,2 | 0,1 | 0,3 | 0,2 | 0,1 | 0,1 | -29,0% | Jan-Aug 2025 | |
| Dulce de Leche (HS 19019020) | TOP importers | 2,9 | 2,3 | 2,8 | 3,2 | 2,3 | 2,5 | +8,8% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| IMPORT | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
| Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299) | TOP exporters | 0,4 | 0,4 | 0,1 | 0,3 | 0,2 | 0,5 | +118,5% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Whey powder (HS 0404) | TOP exporters | 1,1 | 1,0 | 1,1 | 1,5 | 1,0 | 2,1 | +111,7% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Cheese (HS 0406) | TOP exporters | 2,8 | 4,6 | 2,9 | 1,3 | 1,0 | 1,5 | +55,3% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| Infant milk formula (HS 190110) | TOP exporters | 2,0 | 1,8 | 0,8 | 0,2 | 0,2 | 0,2 | +3,3% | Jan-Sep 2025 | |
| STOCK (at 31 December) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
| Liquid milk (Mil Lt) | 51,7 | 41,0 | 37,1 | 51,9 | 41,2 | 42,7 | +3,6% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Butter
|
4,1 | 5,2 | 4,1 | 2,6 | 3,2 | 4,4 | +36,6% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Cheese
|
49,7 | 49,9 | 55,3 | 54,7 | 51,3 | 55,5 | +8,2% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Hard cheese
|
14,2 | 15,5 | 18,5 | 20,2 | 19,2 | 19,3 | +0,4% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Semi-hard cheese
|
18,3 | 18,0 | 20,2 | 19,2 | 17,5 | 21,2 | +21,5% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Soft cheese
|
11,8 | 12,7 | 12,5 | 12,0 | 11,1 | 11,0 | -1,6% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
Processed cheese
|
3,0 | 1,5 | 2,1 | 1,5 | 1,4 | 1,5 | +3,4% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Other cheeses (grated, powdered, melted, etc.) | 2,4 | 2,1 | 2,0 | 1,8 | 2,1 | 2,6 | +23,2% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
WMP (Whole milk powder)
|
32,6 | 29,7 | 31,5 | 25,8 | 17,9 | 25,9 | +44,8% | Sep 2025 | ||
|
SMP (Skimmed milk powder)
|
7,2 | 8,7 | 5,9 | 4,2 | 4,1 | 4,4 | +8,8% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Cream | 2,0 | 2,4 | 1,5 | 2,0 | 2,3 | 2,5 | +7,0% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Dulce de leche | 5,7 | 5,9 | 5,3 | 5,4 | 5,7 | 5,0 | -13,2% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Milk chocolate (Mil Lt) | 5,5 | 8,4 | 3,8 | 3,7 | 3,7 | 3,1 | -17,3% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Dairy desserts and custards | 1,4 | 0,6 | 1,9 | 0,5 | 0,5 | 0,6 | +31,9% | Sep 2025 | ||
| Yogurt | 6,7 | 8,6 | 13,3 | 9,8 | 7,6 | 6,5 | -14,7% | Sep 2025 | ||
| DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION (Source: FAS-USDA) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025(f) | % | Period | ||
| Cheese | 457 | 435 | 440 | 403 | 403 | 428 | +6,2% | Jan-Dec 2025 | Butter | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 18 | +28,6% | Jan-Dec 2025 | SMP | 28 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 21 | 23 | +9,5% | Jan-Dec 2025 | WMP | 73 | 70 | 75 | 69 | 69 | 75 | +8,7% | Jan-Dec 2025 |
| PER CAPITA CONSUMPTIONS (kg) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025(f) | % | Period | ||
| Cheese | 10,09 | 9,58 | 9,66 | 8,82 | ||||||
| Butter | 0,22 | 0,24 | 0,29 | 0,31 | ||||||
| SMP | 0,62 | 0,57 | 0,55 | 0,46 | ||||||
| WMP | 1,61 | 1,54 | 1,65 | 1,51 | ||||||
| % Self-sufficiency | 115,4% | 116,6% | 114,7% | 119,3% | ||||||
| SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025(f) | % | Period | ||
| Population ('000) | 45.312 | 45.408 | 45.538 | 45.696 | ||||||
| GDP per capita (U.S. dollars) | 10.617 (e) | 13.655 (e) | 13.710 (e) | |||||||
| GDP per capita (€) * | 8.977(e) | 12.967(e) | 12.679(e) | |||||||
(e): estimated
* Per capita GDP in Euro is calculated by using the yearly average exchange rate
(p): partial data
(f): forecast
NOTE:Per capita consumptions are obtained dividing total consumption (Source FAS-USDA ) by the population (Source FAO)
Source:
Raw milk area: Subsecretaría de Lechería - Ministerio de Agroindustria; Number of cows: FAO, National Animal Health and Agrifood Quality Service (SENASA);
Dairy production: Subsecretaría de Lechería - Ministerio de Agroindustria, from 2015 data is collected by a panel of dairies according to "Relevamiento Coyuntural de la Resolución 230/16" and historical information of the "Resolución 7/14".
Export and Import: IHS
Consumption: FAS-USDA
GDP per capita: International Monetary Found
Population: FAO
Note: Self-sufficiency rate = Milk deliveries/(Domestic use in milk equivalent ME)
Domestic use in milk equivalent (ME) = Milk deliveries + Import in ME - Export in ME
Last update: 2025-11-07
* Per capita GDP in Euro is calculated by using the yearly average exchange rate
(p): partial data
(f): forecast
NOTE:Per capita consumptions are obtained dividing total consumption (Source FAS-USDA ) by the population (Source FAO)
Source:
Raw milk area: Subsecretaría de Lechería - Ministerio de Agroindustria; Number of cows: FAO, National Animal Health and Agrifood Quality Service (SENASA);
Dairy production: Subsecretaría de Lechería - Ministerio de Agroindustria, from 2015 data is collected by a panel of dairies according to "Relevamiento Coyuntural de la Resolución 230/16" and historical information of the "Resolución 7/14".
Export and Import: IHS
Consumption: FAS-USDA
GDP per capita: International Monetary Found
Population: FAO
Note: Self-sufficiency rate = Milk deliveries/(Domestic use in milk equivalent ME)
Domestic use in milk equivalent (ME) = Milk deliveries + Import in ME - Export in ME
Last update: 2025-11-07