Dairy sector

Positive data and optimistic outlook in the dairy sector

A pillar of the Italian food sector and an invaluable Italian heritage, the dairy industry has been able to deal with a complex decade with intelligence and foresight: since 2016 and even more decisively since 2017, the milk market has reversed the negative trend that had forced many barns and dairies to close in previous years, prompting others to invest in research and new product lines.

Despite shrinking domestic sales, milk exporters and the dairy sector in general have seen increases in sales volume in recent years, as well as more satisfactory quotations on the price of milk, cream, butter and other milk products.

Reversing the crisis, dairy sector focuses on exports and transparent, certified quality

Passion for the craft, love for the land and the ability to evolve by pandering to new trends of more conscious consumption have enabled Italian and European dairy producers, exporters and suppliers to cope with competition from new products that have entered a sector traditionally the preserve of milk, and the absence of an industrial policy to support a sector that continues to play a leading role in the Italian agrifood system.

In fact, the dairy sector holds the record in terms of the value of on-farm production and industrial turnover, accounting for 26 percent of the entire livestock industry and 12 percent of total Italian food in 2016, respectively.The significance of this success is even more remarkable when considering the sharp decline in farmgate prices. The milk market was also on an upward trend in 2017, with data showing dairy export growth of 10 percent year-on-year, or about 3.1 billion euros in value.

Declining domestic demand has begun to show signs against the trend especially in segments such as organic, delactose, yogurt, butter and cheese. Another element that has proven effective in directing consumers toward informed purchasing choices is the recent introduction of compulsory labeling, a transparency tool that provides for the indication of the origin of the raw material for dairy products made within the national territory.

CLC: Company producing and exporting milk and cream all over the world

With the vastness and diversification of the products on offer and the players involved, the dairy sector has always been one of the most vibrant and important in the Italian agribusiness sector, a driving force for the national economy and particularly for northern Italy. The pride of homegrown production, Italian milk, butter, cream and cheeses are known all over the world, with products such as Grana Padano representing the absolute excellence of Made in Italy. The good health of the dairy sector translates into the soundness of the entire agri-food sector and the Italian economy, as well as greater attention to land conservation.

Based in the heart of the Po Valley, where about 70 percent of Italian milk is produced, Compagnia Lattiero Casearia of Roccafranca (BS) has been producing and marketing value-added dairy products for the food industry worldwide for more than 10 years. We have significant experience in the international milk market and a solid reputation for reliability, consistency and quality as suppliers and exporters of milk, cream and milk-based products for the dairy industry.