Australia produced about 411 thousand tonnes of cheese in 2022-23
Australia produced about 411,000 tonnes of cheese in 2022-23 – close to production levels in the early to mid-2000s. In recent years, dairy companies have adjusted their export mix to take advantage of favorable movements in international commodity prices, which have a significant impact on production volumes. The DairyNews writes about this with reference to a Dairy Australia report.
This could lead to an increase in cheese production in line with global price trends and become an attractive source of income (as it has been over the past few years).
Cheese is a staple of the Australian dairy industry, using more than one-third of Australian milk. Cheddar cheeses have historically accounted for the majority of total cheese production, but there has been a long-term trend of production shifting away from cheddar varieties to other types of cheese. The share of non-cheddar cheeses in total production has therefore increased from 30% 30 years ago to 49% in 2022/23.
The share of non-cheddar cheeses in total export sales has risen steadily from around 60% over 20 years to around 87% in 2022/23. Australia exported around 128,000 tonnes of cheese to just over 60 different countries in 2022-23, valued at around A$997 million.
Over 10 years, cheese imports have increased by almost 44 percent. Imports from New Zealand and the US were around 43,000 tonnes and 34,000 tonnes respectively.
Cheese is a staple of the Australian dairy industry, using more than one-third of Australian milk. Cheddar cheeses have historically accounted for the majority of total cheese production, but there has been a long-term trend of production shifting away from cheddar varieties to other types of cheese. The share of non-cheddar cheeses in total production has therefore increased from 30% 30 years ago to 49% in 2022/23.
The share of non-cheddar cheeses in total export sales has risen steadily from around 60% over 20 years to around 87% in 2022/23. Australia exported around 128,000 tonnes of cheese to just over 60 different countries in 2022-23, valued at around A$997 million.
In 2022/23, 42% of cheese was exported. These are mainly fresh or cream cheeses. Other important overseas markets include China, Malaysia, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Australia is also a major importer of cheese.
Over 10 years, cheese imports have increased by almost 44 percent. Imports from New Zealand and the US were around 43,000 tonnes and 34,000 tonnes respectively.
