WELLINGTON: Year-on-year exports of major dairy products are down from the European Union (EU) and New Zealand (NZ) when compared to the previous year.
Exports from EU between January and May of 2015 were reported to be 1% lower than last year. Whole milk powder (WMP) exports were down by 11% to 161,318t, while the total amount of cheese exported from the region was down by 12% to 281,455t.
Butter and skim milk powder (SMP) fared better. Butter exports from the EU were up by 17%, to 58,227t, with SMP exports increasing by 12% to 304,955t for the same period.
Exports from New Zealand were 2% lower in January-June 2015 from the same period in 2014. The largest category of these exports was WMP, which was down by 8% to 681,818t. NZ butter exports were also down, by 14%, to 160,600t.
However, SMP exports increased by 19% to 201,400t, while cheese exports also increased by 18% to 165,455t.