Argentina's dairy exports hit record 259,282 tonnes and US$987 million in first seven months of 2026

Argentina's dairy exports set a record in both volume and value in the first seven months of 2026, according to a report by the Argentine Dairy Chain Observatory (OCLA) published by Infobae and adapted by MilkPoint. Between January and July the country shipped 259,282 tonnes of dairy products worth US$987 million.

Measured in milk-equivalent litres, the yardstick used to compare dairy products of different concentrations, exports reached 1.8348 billion litres. Against the same period of 2025, tonnage rose 24.8%, revenue 18.4% and milk-equivalent litres 20.4%.

Export share of national production nears 29%

If the current pace is maintained, OCLA estimates that full-year 2026 exports could reach about 3.6 billion milk-equivalent litres, against national production estimated at roughly 12 billion litres. That would leave a significant part of Argentine milk output committed to foreign buyers.

The monthly data already show that weight. In July, exports accounted for 23% of total milk production in milk-equivalent terms. Over the full January-July period the share was higher, at 28.7%.

Milk powder and cheese lead the mix

By value, the export basket between January and July broke down as follows:

• Milk powder: 40.6% of export value
• Cheeses of various types: 27.8%
• Other products, including dulce de leche, butter, butter oil and whey: 19.3%
• Products in the confidential category, among them lactose, casein and yogurts: 12.3%

Both leading categories grew in volume against the same period of last year: milk powder shipments rose 29.5% and cheese 15.8%.

Brazil absorbs more than half of shipments

Geographic concentration remains high. Brazil took 51.2% of Argentine dairy exports in the first seven months, far ahead of any other market. The remaining destinations were spread thinly:

• Algeria: 9.9%
• Chile: 7.6%
• Saudi Arabia: 2.5%
• Uruguay: 2.4%
• China: 2.2%
• Paraguay: 1.9%
• Colombia and Indonesia: 1.7% each
• Venezuela: 1.6%

All other markets combined accounted for 17.3% of exports.

Record volumes against softer prices

The record was set with average unit values below those of last year. The average export price between January and July was US$3,807 per tonne, 5.1% lower than in the same period of 2025. The decline was steeper in milk powder overall, where the seven-month average was US$3,671 per tonne, down 7.1% year on year.

July itself was weaker month on month: exports fell 10.9% in tonnes, 7.9% in dollars and 8.8% in milk-equivalent litres compared with June. Against July 2025, however, volume was up 17.4%, dollar revenue 10% and milk-equivalent litres 5.1%.

Domestic demand moved far less. Sales volume on the internal market rose 2.4% in July from June, the same rate in milk-equivalent litres, but the daily average fell 0.9% on both measures, which the report attributes to fewer working days in the month. Year on year the domestic recovery was firmer, with sales volume up 6.9% and milk-equivalent litres up 3.7%. Cumulatively, though, the first seven months show growth of just 0.9% in volume and 0.1% in milk-equivalent litres, leaving the domestic market essentially flat while exports set records.