February 2, 2026
Argentina's dairy industry achieves strongest export performance in more than a decade last year
Argentina's dairy sector posted its strongest export performance in 12 years in 2025, driven by modernisation across the production chain and favorable market conditions.
Data released by the Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Secretariat of the Economy Ministry show the country exported 425,042 tonnes of dairy products, generating total revenue of $1.69 billion. The result represents year-on-year growth of 11% in volume and 20% in value compared with 2024, reflecting higher prices for exported products.
Converted into milk-equivalent terms, shipments totaled 3.129 billion liters, an 18% increase from 2024. This means international markets absorbed 27% of Argentina's total milk production over the period. Domestic supply also posted solid figures, with total production reaching 11.618 billion liters between January and December 2025, marking the highest output of the past decade and the second-largest volume in Argentina's historical series.
The export mix was led by whole milk powder, which accounted for 35% of total shipments, followed by whey (17%), mozzarella (13%), skim milk powder (7%) and semi-hard cheeses (6%). Argentine products reached 89 global destinations, but Brazil consolidated its position as by far the country's leading trading partner, purchasing 41% of total export volumes. Other key markets included Algeria (19%), Chile (7%) and China (7%), along with smaller volumes shipped to Uruguay and Russia.
The strong performance of the dairy segment fits into a broader expansion of Argentina's agribusiness sector, which closed 2025 with a record 115.41 million tonnes in agro-industrial exports and revenue of $52.3 billion. The government attributed the dairy results to the adoption of new technologies, improvements in management systems and access to financing lines that boosted productive efficiency and the competitiveness of emerging export-oriented industries.
- Isto É Dinheiro
