US exports set to increase further, Darigold says

The US export market has expanded to 11-12%  of global dairy trade, taking market share away from New Zealand and Europe, according to US company Darigold’s ingredients division. Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East and Northern Africa will remain growth areas, but US exporters will have to cater for what the country’s processors want, according to the company. For example,  China prefers to make its own yogurt and cheese but needs and wants US powdered milk, while Southeast Asia is building new dairy plants but there is not enough local milk to keep production going.

The US overproduces powder milk by 50 per cent and exports more of it now, depending less on sales to the US government. Seattle-based Darigold sells over eight billion pounds of milk annually, is among the top four milk producers in the US and one of the top 20 in the world.