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World: Milk production and population

This page provides, in a given period of time, with the comparison between the quantities of milk produced in the world and the distribution of the population.

The reference countries are grouped according to the geographical logic of the continents and their internal divisions.

The first graph compares, by geographical area, the population share and the milk production share. The population and milk production data are then organized into tables, with the possibility of expanding the regions and consulting the data of the individual countries, and displayed in histograms.

N.B.: It is interesting to note that both the volumes of cow milk production and population have increased. The general growth of cow milk production (thanks also to the technology developments, sanitary controls, genetic research, nutrition...) goes along with a wealthier population.

The different proportion between milk output and population gives the opportunity to make some further remarks.

Examining the following chart it is possible to notice that:
  • There are geographical areas with a good standard of living (as for example the EU-27, Oceania, North America...) where production exceeds needed domestic demand, thus offering a wide range of dairy products for exports;
  • There are geographical areas that evidence shortage of milk and dairy products (such as Asia, Africa...), compared to population;
  • There are geographical areas showing an important production (for example Extra EU-27, South America) compared to population. However, the domestic income does not allow an adequate consumption of milk and dairy products.
Cow milk production in the World
(Tons x 1000)
Country 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022(e) ±% on 2021
Asia 129.267 137.913 144.243 154.787 163.980 173.235 188.079 190.509 191.529 +0,54%
European Union 143.284 146.201 147.709 148.814 151.273 152.581 154.495 153.994 153.625 -0,24%
North America 101.533 103.049 105.099 107.024 108.212 108.595 110.932 112.452 112.464 +0,01%
South Central America and Caribbean 83.010 83.649 80.997 81.671 83.318 84.020 86.440 86.653 86.814 +0,19%
Europe (Others - extra EU) 74.947 75.130 73.369 74.580 74.642 75.238 76.036 75.472 74.959 -0,68%
Asia - South East 46.106 46.826 45.819 45.627 44.647 46.042 48.694 51.230 50.004 -2,39%
Africa 35.251 35.232 36.018 35.947 36.335 38.013 39.908 40.974 39.896 -2,63%
Oceania 30.889 31.450 30.880 30.499 31.257 30.651 30.992 30.974 29.523 -4,68%
Asia - Middle East 14.549 11.981 12.320 13.018 13.014 13.373 14.593 15.077 14.507 -3,78%
World 658.836 671.432 676.454 691.968 706.679 721.748 750.169 757.335 753.321
± % on the previous year   +1,91 +0,75 +2,29 +2,13 +2,13 +3,94 +0,96 -0,53
Last update: 06-02-2024
(e): estimated data
Source: FAO
World population
(People x 1000)
Country 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 ±% on 2021
Asia - South East 2.249.235 2.265.388 2.280.997 2.296.431 2.309.883 2.321.050 2.330.050 2.336.145 2.340.925 +0,20%
Asia 1.909.551 1.933.797 1.957.903 1.982.017 2.005.431 2.028.302 2.051.053 2.072.096 2.091.303 +0,93%
Africa 1.170.300 1.201.108 1.232.112 1.263.336 1.295.263 1.327.700 1.360.680 1.393.677 1.426.738 +2,37%
South Central America and Caribbean 616.726 623.068 629.333 635.440 641.295 646.837 651.828 656.087 660.260 +0,64%
European Union 442.884 443.667 444.803 445.534 446.209 446.446 447.320 447.001 446.735 -0,06%
North America 357.573 360.475 363.459 366.480 369.311 371.979 373.968 375.290 376.881 +0,42%
Europe (Others - extra EU) 307.632 308.450 309.317 310.004 310.426 310.684 310.533 309.762 305.931 -1,24%
Asia - Middle East 243.967 249.202 254.080 258.574 263.336 268.156 271.696 274.773 278.795 +1,46%
Oceania 39.730 40.403 41.101 41.815 42.540 43.277 43.932 44.493 45.039 +1,23%
Rest of the World 0,00%
World 7.337.598 7.425.558 7.513.105 7.599.631 7.683.694 7.764.431 7.841.060 7.909.324 7.972.607
±% on the previous year   +1,20 +1,18 +1,15 +1,11 +1,05 +0,99 +0,87 +0,80
Last update: 06-02-2024
Source: FAO, Eurostat
Processed by CLAL