The German dairy sector increased its export earnings from milk and milk products by 20.3% in the first half of 2007 compared with the same period in 2006. In tonnage terms, the amount exported rose by 9.2% to 2.4 million tonnes.

The main reasons for the increases, according to the German Milk Industry Association (MIV), were the continuing shortage of milk in neighbouring EU countries and the comparatively lower price of German dairy products. In fact, some 90% of all of Germany’s dairy exports from January to July 2007 went to neighbouring EU countries. These sales were valued at