In 2021, Italian dairy exports will reach the 500,000-tonne mark, according to the Italian dairy association Assolatte. Compared to 2020, there will be an 11% increase in volumes, and the value of mopro exports is estimated at €3.5bn.
According to the association’s analysis, Italian dairy exports are growing at double-digit rates in France (+ 13%), Belgium (+ 18%) and Poland (+ 22%). The US market is growing more strongly, with an increase of 25 %. As the association’s president Paolo Zanetti recalls, the Japanese market is still suffering and has been in a stalemate for two years. “When the pandemic is over, we will have to focus on this country again,” explains Zanetti.
Among the specialities most exported abroad is mascarpone, up 38%, followed by provolone, pecorino (both + 20%) and mozzarella (+ 12%). Gorgonzola recorded a 30% increase in the USA and Canada. Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano will end the year with an increase of 6%, i.e. with about 5,000 tons exported. In addition, another 500 tons of grated cheese were exported.
Domestic consumption is going down: sales of UHT milk have fallen back to 2019 levels (-7 %). Fresh milk also suffered losses (-3.5 %), as did domestic cheese (-0.9 %).
On the other hand, Italian milk production has increased to 13m tons in 2021 (+ 3 % compared to 2020), imports from abroad have decreased (bulk milk imports have decreased by 30 %, for example).
