Argentina Produced More Milk as Industry Assessed Value per Litre
Argentina’s milk output recovered in 2025 after declines in 2023 and 2024, according to the Observatory of the Argentine Dairy Chain (OCLA). Production reached 11.6176bn litres, while output measured in useful solids—milk fat plus protein—rose by 11.4%. The difference reflected higher component concentrations in the milk supply.
Hernán Alassia, a dairy-industry specialist cited in the analysis, said industrial efficiency should be assessed by how effectively plants recover valuable components and convert them into cheese, butter, milk powder and other products. A larger intake of milk does not necessarily produce a proportional increase in saleable goods if protein is lost in whey, moisture remains too high or processing losses rise.
Product-specific measures are required. For soft Cremoso cheese, technical ranges compiled from Argentine and international research indicate that about 8–9.5 litres of milk are needed for one kilogram of cheese. Mozzarella requires roughly 9–10.5 litres per kilogram, with calcium, casein and protein characteristics affecting stretching, elasticity and melting performance. Semi-hard cheeses are placed at approximately 9.5–11.5 litres per kilogram, while hard, long-matured cheeses such as Reggianito may require 12–17 litres.
Moisture complicates comparisons based solely on output weight. A heavier soft cheese may owe part of its weight to retained water rather than better recovery of milk solids. The analysis therefore calls for yields to be adjusted for moisture. For hard cheeses, the calculation also has to account for losses during production and for the reduction in weight that occurs during months of maturation.
The relevant measure changes for other dairy products. Dulce de leche has an indicative conversion range of 2.2–2.5 litres per kilogram, with evaporation, thermal stability and the composition of solids affecting the result. In milk powder, the starting concentration of dry matter sets the theoretical ceiling: milk containing 12.5% total solids has 12.5kg of dry matter per 100kg of milk. Codex Alimentarius standards set a maximum water content of 5% for the various milk-powder categories. Actual plants also incur losses in evaporators, drying towers, cyclones and collection systems.
Butter production is instead centred on the recovery of available fat. The fat content of cream, separation efficiency and churning process influence the result. A factory receiving milk with a higher fat concentration can therefore obtain a different industrial outcome while handling the same number of litres. International dairy markets commonly give fat and protein a central role in payment formulas, although there is no single global system and practices differ across the European Union.
The issue has gained importance as Argentina’s supply has continued to expand in 2026. In OCLA’s latest ranking, the surveyed processors increased milk intake by 9.8%, compared with 6.9% growth in national production for the period covered. The analysis links the operational challenge to the margin generated per litre: plants must track recovered fat and protein, target moisture, process losses and the commercial value of the products made. The preferred use of milk also varies by factory, since cheese production may prioritise casein and coagulation properties, butter production fat, and powder production the concentration and recovery of solids.
