Australian cheese trade surges as exports climb, imports rise
Strong first-quarter exports and rising imports mark 2025 outlook
16 June 2025
1 minute read
By: Australia’s cheese exports are on track to reach 175,000 metric tons in 2025, up 4.8% from the previous year and 16.6% higher than earlier forecasts, according to FAS/Canberra. The increase follows a strong first quarter, with export volumes jumping 13.1% year-over-year.
Japan and China remain key destinations, with shipments to China showing the most notable growth. Exports to nearly all of Australia’s top ten cheese markets rose in early 2025, highlighting the sector’s continued strength as a net exporter.
Despite rising domestic demand, tight milk supplies are limiting production growth, prompting increased cheese imports to fill the gap. Imports are projected to hit 110,000 metric tons this year—up 9% from 2024 and the second-highest on record. New Zealand remains Australia’s top supplier, while imports from the United States are expanding steadily.
