June 27, 2012

World's 2012 milk production to grow 3% at 750 million tonnes

Global milk output in the current calendar year is anticipated to increase to 750.1 million tonnes, almost 3% higher than last year's estimate of 730.1 million tonnes, buoyed by India's rising milk production, United Nation's body FAO has said in its latest Food outlook report.

Asia is expected to account for most of the increase, with output in India, the world's largest milk producing country, forecast to rise by 5.2 million tonnes to 127 million tonnes, FAO noted. Dynamic domestic demand is the main engine stimulating growth in India, which is largely absent from the international market for dairy products, it added. As per India's National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the country produced 121 million tonnes of milk in 2010-11 fiscal, which comprised about 17% of global production.

According to the government data, the per capita milk availability rose to 281 gram per day in 2010-11 against 278 gram per day in 2009-10 on account of growing output. Increased output is also anticipated in China, Pakistan and Turkey, as consumer demand continues to rise, FAO said.

FAO expects global per capita milk consumption to rise by 1.6% to 106.1 kilogrammes per year in 2012 from an estimated 104.5 kilogrammes per year in 2011.