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 - of WMP in particular;
- stresses the particular features of a traditional product that is prevalent in domestic consumption: the dulce de leche.
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ARGENTINA: DAIRY SECTOR | ||||||||||
x 1.000 ton | ||||||||||
RAW MATERIAL AREA | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Number of dairy cows ('000) (Source: FAO) | 1.773 | 1.720 | 1.596 | |||||||
Number of dairy cows ('000) (Source: Senasa) | 1.773 | 1.720 | ||||||||
Milk production (Mil Lt) | 10.292 | 10.098 | 10.527 | 10.343 | 8.435 | 9.070 | +7,5% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Milk delivery (Mil Lt) | 9.569 | 9.386 | 9.785 | 9.614 | 7.845 | 8.435 | +7,5% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
% Delivery on production | 92,9% | 93,0% | 92,9% | 93,0% | ||||||
Farm gate milk price (€ x 100 lt) | 23,49 | 29,13 | 22,11 | 26,50 | 26,61 | 23,71 | -10,9% | Jan-Nov 2020 | ||
± % Over the same period of the previous year | +24,0% | -24,1% | +19,9% | |||||||
DAIRY PRODUCTION | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Liquid milk (Mil Lt) | 1.456 | 1.313 | 1.323 | 1.212 | 1.041 | 1.060 | +1,9% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Butter
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33 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 23 | 30 | +29,8% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Cheese
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394 | 408 | 444 | 429 | 365 | 347 | -4,8% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Hard cheese ![]() |
32 | 34 | 39 | 43 | 37 | 28 | -23,4% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Semi-hard cheese ![]() |
128 | 124 | 141 | 131 | 109 | 101 | -8,0% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Soft cheese ![]() |
163 | 164 | 174 | 172 | 148 | 146 | -1,1% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Processed cheese ![]() |
33 | 57 | 60 | 56 | 48 | 49 | +2,7% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Other cheeses (grated, powdered, melted, etc.) | 38 | 29 | 31 | 26 | 23 | 23 | +1,2% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
WMP (Whole milk powder)
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157 | 149 | 192 | 188 | 145 | 175 | +21,0% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
SMP (Skimmed milk powder)
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34 | 46 | 41 | 45 | 35 | 41 | +18,9% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Cream | 53 | 62 | 63 | 59 | 49 | 49 | -0,9% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Dulce de leche | 99 | 93 | 101 | 97 | 84 | 91 | +8,9% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Milk chocolate (Mil Lt) | 52 | 55 | 46 | 32 | 26 | 18 | -29,8% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Dairy desserts and custards | 44 | 42 | 41 | 29 | 24 | 23 | -6,8% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
Yogurt | 431 | 418 | 394 | 354 | 285 | 287 | +0,7% | Jan-Oct 2020 | ||
EXPORT | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Whey powder (HS 0404) | TOP importers | 67 | 54 | 46 | 42 | 37 | 30 | -19,4% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Butter (HS 0405) | TOP importers | 5,6 | 4,2 | 3,9 | 8,2 | 7,2 | 12 | +71,6% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Cheese (HS 0406) | TOP importers | 53 | 44 | 43 | 39 | 35 | 40 | +13,4% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) | TOP importers | 26 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 12 | +13,0% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229) | TOP importers | 110 | 71 | 118 | 85 | 70 | 119 | +70,2% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Casein (HS 350110) | TOP importers | 3,3 | 4,0 | 0,1 | 0,0 | |||||
Infant milk formula (HS 190110) | TOP importers | 20 | 13 | 2,7 | 0,2 | 0,2 | 0,4 | +128,4% | Jan-Sep 2020 | |
IMPORT | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299) | TOP exporters | 1,6 | 2,0 | 0,9 | 0,2 | 0,1 | 0,2 | +89,5% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Whey powder (HS 0404) | TOP exporters | 0,6 | 0,7 | 1,0 | 1,0 | 0,9 | 0,8 | -16,4% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Cheese (HS 0406) | TOP exporters | 2,8 | 4,4 | 3,7 | 2,2 | 2,1 | 1,0 | -53,1% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
Infant milk formula (HS 190110) | TOP exporters | 1,3 | 1,4 | 1,4 | 1,4 | 1,3 | 1,5 | +21,1% | Jan-Nov 2020 | |
STOCK (at 31 December) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Liquid milk (Mil Lt) | 49,6 | 50,4 | 28,4 | 42,5 | 48,5 | 52,5 | +8,4% | Oct 2020 | ||
Butter
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2,8 | 3,1 | 3,6 | 4,4 | 3,1 | 3,6 | +15,3% | Oct 2020 | ||
Cheese
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48,8 | 44,3 | 44,2 | 47,4 | 47,7 | 45,9 | -3,7% | Oct 2020 | ||
Hard cheese ![]() |
16,4 | 15,2 | 16,6 | 16,1 | 16,3 | 13,0 | -20,2% | Oct 2020 | ||
Semi-hard cheese ![]() |
16,8 | 14,8 | 15,3 | 16,6 | 16,8 | 15,0 | -10,5% | Oct 2020 | ||
Soft cheese ![]() |
10,4 | 8,2 | 8,6 | 11,1 | 10,9 | 14,3 | +31,6% | Oct 2020 | ||
Processed cheese ![]() |
2,6 | 1,8 | 1,5 | 1,4 | 1,5 | 1,5 | -1,3% | Oct 2020 | ||
Other cheeses (grated, powdered, melted, etc.) | 2,6 | 4,3 | 2,3 | 2,2 | 2,3 | 2,1 | -5,4% | Oct 2020 | ||
WMP (Whole milk powder)
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30,1 | 29,4 | 20,5 | 25,1 | 27,0 | 18,9 | -30,0% | Oct 2020 | ||
SMP (Skimmed milk powder)
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10,1 | 10,2 | 4,4 | 5,3 | 7,1 | 6,1 | -14,8% | Oct 2020 | ||
Cream | 1,7 | 1,3 | 1,5 | 1,7 | 1,7 | 2,3 | +33,7% | Oct 2020 | ||
Dulce de leche | 5,7 | 4,9 | 5,0 | 4,9 | 4,9 | 6,1 | +24,9% | Oct 2020 | ||
Milk chocolate (Mil Lt) | 2,8 | 4,7 | 2,1 | 2,3 | 1,9 | 1,8 | -5,0% | Oct 2020 | ||
Dairy desserts and custards | 1,5 | 1,7 | 0,7 | 0,6 | 0,7 | 0,6 | -7,9% | Oct 2020 | ||
Yogurt | 10,1 | 7,2 | 6,4 | 7,4 | 6,9 | 7,1 | +3,1% | Oct 2020 | ||
DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION (Source: FAS-USDA) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Cheese | 508 | 485 | 380 | 430 | 430 | 441 | +2,6% | Jan-Dec 2020 | Butter | 32 | 28 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 17 | +13,3% | Jan-Dec 2020 | SMP | 10 | 20 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 22 | +10,0% | Jan-Dec 2020 | WMP | 102 | 75 | 75 | 84 | 84 | 96 | +14,3% | Jan-Dec 2020 |
PER CAPITA CONSUMPTIONS (kg) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | % | Period | ||
Cheese | 11,68 | 11,04 | 8,57 | 9,60 | ||||||
Butter | 0,74 | 0,64 | 0,47 | 0,33 | ||||||
SMP | 0,23 | 0,46 | 0,54 | 0,45 | ||||||
WMP | 2,34 | 1,71 | 1,69 | 1,88 | ||||||
% Self-sufficiency | 117,9% | 112,3% | 115,5% | 112,0% | ||||||
SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020(f) | % | Period | ||
Population ('000) | 43.508 | 43.937 | 44.361 | 44.781 | ||||||
GDP per capita (U.S. dollars) | 12.626 (e) | 12.906 (e) | 13.241 (e) | |||||||
GDP per capita (€) * | 11.407(e) | 11.425(e) | 11.212(e) | |||||||
* Per capita GDP in Euro is calculated by using the yearly average exchange rate
(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);
Source 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".
Source Export and Import: IHS
Source Consumption: FAS-USDA
GDP per capita: International Monetary Found
Source 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: 2021-01-15