Danish cheese export on the rise

France might be famous for its cheese, but in 2016 Danish dairy companies exported more cheese to France than they imported a new report shows, and it has been that way in 13 out of the last 15 years.

Generally, the Danish cheese export experience an increase in almost all markets. Numbers from the new dairy statistics report 2016 released earlier this Summer shows that within the last four years the Danish cheese export has increased with 36% – from 272.7 million kg to 369.6 million kg in 2016.

0 kg to Russia

Compared to 2015 the export has increased in almost every market – except for Russia. Two years ago, Russia was the country outside of Europe the Danish dairy companies exported most of their goods to, but in 2016 that export has come to 0 because of the Russian embargo against the EU.
“Until two years ago, Russia bought 5% of the total Danish cheese export – in 2014 the dairy companies exported around 14 million kg of cheese to Russia before the embargo became effective” chief advisor from Danish Agriculture & Food Council Niels Ole Nielsen, states and he adds: “At the same time we have seen a considerable increase in the cheese production in Denmark, but the Danish dairy companies have succeeded in disposing the extra millions of cheese into other markets. Actually, it is very few markets that have downrated the import.”

Increasing in Asia
Especially the Asian countries have increased their export of Danish cheese. The export to South Koreas has increased with 146% (from 3.1 million kg to 7.7 million kg) from 2015 to 2016 and the export to China for the same term increased with 23% to 3 million kg. A country like Mexico has also made a noticeable increase of 119% – from just under 1 million kg in 2015 to 2.2 kg in 2016.

The EU however is still the by far the largest buyer of cheese from Denmark and here there has also been an increase in most markets – by far the biggest market, Germany, the export increased with 13% to 101.2 million kg. There is a significant gap in numbers down to the second and third on the list: Sweden with 46.7 million kg and Great Britain with 44.8 million kg.
But summed up the export of cheese gained 9.8 billion DKK (1.55 billion USD) to Denmark in 2016.

For more information, see the full report here (in Danish)