Nothing beats milk in its nutritious value. It is the essential ingredient for growing children in its ability to provide vital nutrients like calcium, protein, Vitamin A & D, and potassium necessary for strong bones and teeth. Besides, milk improves cognitive abilities and also fosters brain health.
Milk is still considered a staple in a balanced diet owing to its benefits. Despite its other alternatives, cow milk is the most consumed product in the dairy industry. Many countries like the USA exports billions of dollars worth of dairy products worldwide. This industry is ever-growing, many big corporations like Dairy Farmers of America and Nestle are the big players in the industry, showing the extent of the growth of this industry that started from little family-owned farms.
So, this article is all about the largest milk-producing countries in the world.
Let’s dive in and learn more about the largest milk-producing countries in the world and how extensive the dairy industry is in them.
The Rundown of the Largest Milk-Producing Countries in the World
The EU-27 (27 countries in the EU zone) dominate the list with 143.9 million metric tons of cow milk production in 2022. Since it is the whole region, we are not taking it into account, we are only talking about individual countries with the most milk production in 2022.
These are some largest milk-producing countries in the world. The data reflects the 2022 cow milk production of each country for comparison.
The United States
The United States is the largest milk-producing country, with a production of 102.97 million metric tons of cow milk in 2022. The country produces high-quality dairy products that it exports in large quantities. According to the data, the USA exported US $63 billion worth of dairy products in 2021. It shows the magnitude and size of its dairy industry. The USA has one of the world’s most developed dairy industry. The country also uses technology to enhance the production and efficiency of its dairy industry.
India
India lies in the second spot among the largest milk-producing countries, with 97 million metric tons of cow milk production in 2022. The country is an agricultural country. Additionally, it has a dense population, and the dairy industry constitutes a major portion of its output. India is one of the biggest milk producers and also the consumer. It all ties to the Indian culture and cuisine where milk is considered a key ingredient.
Additionally, India has the most cows in the world (58 million), which also is due to its religious significance.
China
China is in the third spot among the largest milk-producing countries in the world, with 39.2 million metric tons of milk production in 2022. The country is also the home of 2 out of the 10 biggest dairy companies. Every year the consumption of dairy products also is increasing in China. The Government is also providing incentives and benefits to develop the dairy industry in China.
Russia
On the fourth spot, we have Russia, with 32.15 million metric tons of milk production in 2022. The dairy industry in the country is developing, with the government’s significant investments to foster growth. Though the domestic demand for dairy products is significantly low, in fact, is diminishing year on year, the industry makes the most from its foreign sales.
Brazil
Brazil is in the fifth spot with cow milk production of 23.66 million metric tons in 2022. The country is known for its one of the largest cow herds (19 million) and cheese producers. Besides, the milk market is growing yearly with almost a million farmers of which small-scale farmers constitute a sizeable portion.
New Zealand
New Zealand is in the sixth spot among the largest milk-producing countries in the world, with 21.1 million metric tons of milk production. The dairy industry contributes more than 10 billion to the country’s economy and is one of the major exports of the country. New Zealand has large-scale dairy production facilities.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is in the seventh spot with 15.16 million metric tons of milk production in 2022. The dairy industry is the largest segment of its agriculture sector, which accounts for more than 15% of the agricultural output of the UK.
Mexico
Mexico is in the eighth spot among the largest milk-producing countries in the world, with 12.98 million metric tons of milk production in 2022. Besides, Mexico is also one of the biggest milk consumers, thus the Mexican market provides growth opportunities for local and foreign dairy companies. Group Lala is the largest milk company in the country.
Argentina
With 11.9 million metric tons of milk production in 2022, Argentina is the ninth-largest milk-producing country in the world. The country’s milk production has seen an upward trend due to favorable weather conditions. Additionally, healthy herds and improved efficiencies of the Argentian dairy farms further enhanced the milk production in the country.
Canada
Canada recorded 10.23 million metric tons of milk production in 2022. Dairy farming is the biggest segment of the agriculture sector in Canada. Besides, there are around 9000 dairy farms in Canada, and more than 95% are family-owned.
Conclusion
Despite the recent consumer trend of replacing animal milk with plant-based milk, one cannot deny that milk is still staple in millions of people’s diets due to its nutritional value. The USA and India are the biggest milk producers in the world.
With more and more consumers trying to go dairy free and adopting a lifestyle where plant-based milk like Soy, Oat, and others replace animal milk, let’s see how things go in the future for dairy farmers and billion dollars worth of the dairy industry.
