2 August 2010

3 minute read

Milk production grew towards the end of the 1990s so that the national quota of Finland was exceeded in the quota periods that ended in 1999–2002. After 2001 the output has decreased by seven per cent. In quota period 2008/2009 milk production was 228 million litres below the national quota. According to the forecast of the Gallup Food and Farm Facts, in the quota period 2009/2010 the production will remain 215 million litres below the quota and in 2010 the output will total 2,223 million litres.

In 1995–2009 the total number of dairy cows fell from 389,500 to 284,399 (–27 per cent). The number of dairy farms fell from 32,161 to 11,516 (–64 per cent, seven per cent a year) and the average herd size increased from 12 to 25 cows. The output per cow increased by 30 per cent.

In 2009 the production of butter totalled 48.5 million kg (–four per cent from the previous year and + eight per cent from 1995). Cheese production totalled 103.2 million kg (–two per cent, + 17 per cent) and that of milk powders 20.3 million kg (+ 74 per cent, + 28 per cent). The production of liquid milk products amounted to 712 million litres.

In 2009 a total of 15 million kg of butter was consumed (+ six per cent from the year before), and cheese consumption totalled 110 million kg (+ four per cent). The consumer price of butter was 30 per cent lower than the year before. The production of liquid milk totalled 698 million litres (–0.4 per cent) and that of yoghurts 120 million kg (+ one per cent).

Milk production and the amount of milk delivered to
dairies in Finland from 1995 to 2009.
^{(Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)}

The oversupply in milk decreased in 1995–2009 and now the domestic production is quite well in line with the consumption. The consumption has also shifted to lower-fat products. The total consumption of liquid milk products decreased by seven per cent and butter consumption by 42 per cent, but cheese consumption grew by 41 per cent.

The share of exports in the production of butter, yoghurts and cheeses increased in 1995–2009. Only about a third of the butter produced is consumed in Finland. Cheese imports, e.g. from Denmark, Germany and Poland, grew almost seven-fold.

In 2009 cheese exports totalled 50 million kg (+ 25 per cent from the year before). The share of imports (44 million kg) in cheese consumption grew to 39 per cent and the share of imported yoghurts (29 million kg) to 24 per cent. Of the fat contained in milk produced in Finland as much as a half is used for the export products. Instead, the protein contained in milk is used in Finland.

Further Reading

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