Uruguay Sees Higher Dairy Export Values Despite Lower Volumes

According to customs data collected by the National Dairy Institute (Inale), Uruguay exported 21,891 tons of dairy products in January 2025 at an average value of US$3,644 per ton. This marks a 12% decrease in volume compared to the same month in 2024, but a 10% increase in average value on an annual basis.

The improvement in international reference prices is allowing Uruguay's export industry to better valorize its products on the global market. Significant interest is noted in milk fat products, with butter leading the way, experiencing a 32% annual increase in export value to US$6,331 per ton. This interest is pressuring whole milk powder prices upward, with an 11% annual increase to US$3,713 per ton.

Conversely, the average export value for cheese and skimmed milk powder has decreased by 2% annually to US$2,889 and US$4,826 per ton, respectively. The international market's focus clearly remains on higher-fat-content products. The export value of butter has surged by 39% since December 2023's low and by 118% compared to mid-2020 during the peak of the pandemic.

In early 2025, the two leading destinations for whole milk powder remain Brazil and Algeria, which together account for 73% of the volume, each importing around 6,000 tons. Mauritania follows as the third significant destination, becoming increasingly important for Uruguayan milk powder, overtaking traditional suppliers like the European Union and New Zealand. Venezuela occupies the fourth position with 718 tons, while the United States, a natural dairy exporter, imported 500 tons of whole milk powder, indicating a high-value niche product fetching an average export value of US$4,209 per ton, approximately US$500 above the average.