Australian dairy imports up 30 per cent in 2022-23

The Australian dairy industry has slipped from fourth to fifth place on the list of world dairy exporters.

Australia ranks behind New Zealand, the European Union, the United States and, for the first time this year, the United Kingdom.

Australian dairy exports were worth $3.7 billion in 2022-23, down from $3.8 billion the previous year, the Australian Dairy Industry In Focus 2023 report released on November 15 has revealed.

But Australia remained a significant exporter of dairy products, despite accounting for about 1 per cent of the world's estimated milk production, Dairy Australia industry analyst Isabel Dando said.

Australia's share of world exports fell from 4.8pc in 2021-22 to 4.7pc in 2022-23, while the UK's share grew from 4.5pc in 2021-22 to 5.3pc in 2022-23.

Australia now exports 30pc of the milk it produced, down from about 50pc two decades ago,

"The share of milk exported has contracted over time due to population growth and an overall decline in milk production," Ms Dando said.

The report also revealed that Australia's milk production and number of dairy farms continued to fall.

Carlene Dowie, Queensland Country Life, 15 November 2023.

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