Milk and cream market in Burkina Faso

Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2019, Burkina Faso's milk and cream market expanded by 3.4% to 480.4 thousand tons. This growth was supported by regional initiatives to defend local milk commercially and fiscally, which aimed to reduce import competition, alongside the structuring of the sector through the National Union of Mini-dairies and Milk Producers (UMPL-B). Promotion campaigns like the 72H LAIT LOCAL raised awareness, though insecurity in the three-border region caused herder displacement and some mini-dairy closures, partially offsetting gains.

The market contracted sharply in 2020 to 450.8 thousand tons, a 6.2% drop, as the COVID-19 pandemic compounded existing security crises and disrupted the local dairy chain. Recovery began in 2021, with volume rising to 459.8 thousand tons after government interventions improved dry-season cow feeding practices and subsidized animal feed concentrates for producer cooperatives, directly boosting milk productivity.

Steady growth resumed through 2022 and 2023, reaching 474.0 thousand tons. Higher prices for imported dairy products, such as sweetened condensed milk and milk powder, enhanced the competitiveness of local milk. Continued promotion of the fair-trade brand Faire Faso sustained consumer interest. The sector saw further development with the inauguration of new industrial processing units in 2024, including the FASO KOSAM dairy, aiming to strengthen local transformation capacity.

Production milk and cream in Burkina Faso

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of milk and cream, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk and cream, 2017-2020

In Burkina Faso, milk and cream production reached 450.0 thousand tonnes in 2020, marking a modest year-on-year decline of 6.2%. Over the broader period from 2017 to 2020, production fell by 9.4%, which translates to an average annual decrease of 3.2%. The most significant drop occurred in 2018, with a 6.6% reduction, while 2019 saw the largest increase at 3.4%.

Annual dynamics of production in Burkina Faso in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports milk and cream from Burkina Faso

Market research indicates that Burkina Faso did not export any milk or cream between 2017 and 2020.

Imports milk and cream to Burkina Faso

Imports in kind, t

Following a two-year decline, Burkina Faso's milk and cream imports rebounded in 2020, totaling 866.9 tonnes—a 5.8% increase compared to the previous year. However, over the entire 2017-2020 period, imports decreased by 9.4%, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -3.3%. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2019 at 819.2 tonnes, and the sharpest decline occurred in 2018, with a 9.5% drop.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Burkina Faso in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, France was the dominant source for Burkina Faso's milk and cream imports, representing 88.1% of the total volume, while other countries contributed a smaller share.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Burkina Faso in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

After two years of contraction, Burkina Faso's milk and cream import value showed a slight uptick in 2020, reaching 898.3 thousand US dollars, which was nearly unchanged from the prior year. Over the 2017-2020 span, import value decreased by 5.6%, with a CAGR of -1.9%. The lowest value was in 2019 at 894.0 thousand US dollars, and the largest decline also occurred that year, at 5.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Burkina Faso in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Throughout 2017-2020, France remained the primary partner for Burkina Faso's milk and cream imports in value terms, accounting for 93.1% of the total.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Burkina Faso in value, 2017-2020