Romania imported 38.7% more raw milk last year compared to 2023, while the amount of cow milk collected by processing units on the domestic market increased 4.6%, according to data the National Institute of Statistics (INS) published on Friday.

Thus, the amount of raw milk imported by processing units reached 159,812 tonnes last year, while the volume of milk collected domestically was 1.26 million tonnes.

Dairy production recorded an increase across all components during the mentioned period, including drinking milk, sour cream, fermented milk, butter, and cheese, with the highest production growth being recorded in butter (+9%). The total amount of butter produced from January 1 to December 31, 2024, was 11,945 tonnes.

For cheese, total production stood at 109,655 tonnes, 7.42% higher than that recorded during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2023, of which 101,729 tonnes came from cow milk.

In December 2024, the amount of cow milk collected from farms and collection centres by processing units increased 4.8% compared to November 2024 and 8.8% compared to December 2023.

In the last month of the year, compared to November, the highest production increase was recorded in butter (+27.9%), while the largest production decrease occurred in fermented milk products (yogurt, drinkable yogurt, buttermilk, and other similar dairy products), with a decrease of 8.0%.

The amount of raw milk imported by processing units decreased in December 2024 by 7.6% compared to the previous month.

INS data shows that, compared to the same month in the previous year, in December 2024, the amount of cow milk collected by processing units increased 8.8%, reaching 102,164 tons vs. 93,933 tonnes in 2023.

Cheese production saw the highest increase, 13.1%, to 8,977 tonnes (7,940 tons in 2023), while the largest decrease was recorded in sour cream (-7.1%), at 6,298 tonnes (vs. 6,777 tonnes in 2023).

The amount of raw milk imported by processing units advanced in December 2024 by 14.8% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 14,670 tonnes.

AGERPRES