Canadian Dairy Statistics First Quarter 2008

By Statistics Canada. Canada’s dairy production increased again this quarter. Butter, cheese, milk and cream were all on the up.

16 May 2008

3 minute read

Highlights

Canadian milk producers sold 5.10 million kilolitres of milk and cream to dairies during the first eight months of 2007-2008 dairy year, up 4.2% from the same period last year.
Industrial milk sales, which accounted for 60.2% of all milk sold, totalled 3.07 million kilolitres.
Fluid milk sales, at 2.03 million kilolitres, were 1.1% above year-ago levels.
Canadian consumers purchased 2.04 million kilolitres of milk and cream during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year, 0.9% above year-ago levels.
Sales of 2% milk, the most popular, were up 0.6% at 843 thousand kilolitres. Sales of 1% milk and skim milk both increased, at 407 thousand kilolitres and 195 thousand kilolitres respectively. Sales of standard (homogenized) milk at 259 thousand kilolitres declined 3.8%.
Total cream sales, at 193 thousand kilolitres, increased 1.9% from year-ago levels.
Butter production increased during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year to 56.4 thousand tonnes from 47.7 thousand tonnes a year ago.
Total production of variety and cheddar cheese increased 2.8%during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year from last year levels.
Variety cheese production, at 155.9 thousand tonnes, increased 3.6% and cheddar cheese production, at 93.3 thousand tonnes, increased 1.3%.

Introduction

This publication provides a statistical summary on the dairy industry in Canada and the provinces for current and previous calendar years.

Data include monthly, as well as year-to-date information, on farm sales of milk and cream for fluid and industrial purposes, cash receipts from milk and cream sold off farms, production, stocks, and supply and disposition of creamery butter, cheddar cheese and other dairy products and by-products. Data series are available on a historic basis since 1920.

This publication, Dairy Statistics, provides statistical information on the dairy products industry at national and provincial levels. Through co-operation between provincial departments of agriculture, milk marketing boards and Statistics Canada, dairy statistics are collected, compiled, disseminated and analyzed on a monthly basis.

Information on the volume of milk and cream sold off farms and commercial sales of fluid milk and cream by dairies are used by governments and provincial marketing boards in calculating provincial market sharing quota allotment and skim-off credit. These data are also important as an indicator of changes in the supply-managed dairy industry, a major contributor to total farm cash receipts.

Analysis

Off-farm sales to dairies above last year’s level

Canadian milk producers sold 5.10 million kilolitres of milk and cream to dairies during the first eight months of 2007-2008 dairy year, up 4.2% from the same period last year. Industrial milk sales, which accounted for 60.2% of all milk sold, totalled 3.07 million kilolitres. Fluid milk sales, at 2.03 million kilolitres, were 1.1% above year-ago levels.

Total sales of milk and cream by dairies increased slightly

Canadian consumers purchased 2.04 million kilolitres of milk and cream during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year, 0.9% above year-ago levels.

Sales of 2% milk, the most popular, were up 0.6% at 843 thousand kilolitres. Sales of 1% milk and skim milk both increased, at 407 thousand kilolitres and 195 thousand kilolitres respectively. Sales of standard (homogenized) milk at 259 thousand kilolitres declined 3.8%. Total cream sales, at 193 thousand kilolitres, increased 1.9%from year-ago levels.

Butter production ahead of last year’s level

Butter production increased during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year to 56.4 thousand tonnes from 47.7 thousand tonnes a year ago.

Total cheese production higher

Total production of variety and cheddar cheese increased 2.8% during the first eight months of the 2007-2008 dairy year from last year levels. Variety cheese production, at 155.9 thousand tonnes, increased 3.6% and cheddar cheese production, at 93.3 thousand tonnes, increased 1.3%.