October 27, 2011

Estonia's dairy export, import up

Estonia's dairy products export increased by 15.9% and amounted EUR78.6 million (US$110 million) whereas import increased 3.8% and amounted EUR22.9 million (US$32 million), according to the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI).

Export grew due to the growth in prices as well as due to bigger amounts.

In the first half of the year, 75.5% of the export went into the EU and 24.5% to third world countries. Export to the EU increased 42.1% while it contracted 26.1% to other countries. Estonia's biggest trade partners in terms of dairy products are Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland.

According to products the most important Estonian export articles were cheese and cottage cheese, milk and cream, butter, sour milk products as well as skim milk and milk powder. Compared with the previous year the share of powders in the export has fallen.

The share of the EU in the milk products import was 99%. The biggest partners in terms of import were Latvia, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. For dairy products import, cheese, milk and cream and sour milk products were of the biggest share. The share of milk and cheese has grown in the import.