Australia: Dairy and Products Semi-annual
Australia is a comparatively small producer of milk but accounts for over five percent of international dairy trade. The industry has been affected by adverse seasonal conditions and low international dairy prices. Despite increased investment in processing facilities, output has not expanded and the size of the dairy herd remains at 1.7 million head. In view of these trends and poor rainfall in recent months, Post forecasts milk production of 9.8 million MT in 2016; slightly below the official estimate of 10 million MT. Domestic consumption of dairy products in Australia is mature and the industry is increasingly focused on exports to Asian markets. It is also seeking to move further away from commodities towards more value added products.
