Milk market in Belgium

Earlier Report Observations

Belgium's milk market volume stood at 4 902 thousand tons in 2018, supported by the launch of a unified school-milk programme to increase dairy consumption and government aid for private storage of butter, skim-milk powder, and cheese to stabilize prices. After dropping to 4 379 thousand tons in 2019, the market recovered to 4 465 thousand tons in 2020 as COVID-19 lockdowns boosted domestic milk and dairy consumption by 7–19%, while the removal of EU dairy quotas allowed producers to invest in expanded processing capacity.

The market continued to expand, reaching 4 643 thousand tons in 2021 and peaking at 4 957 thousand tons in 2022. This growth was driven by an 11% rise in fresh-dairy production in 2021, including concentrated milk and butter, and a shift in cheese output toward mozzarella in response to global demand. In 2022, a record farm-gate milk price surge of over 40% in the first quarter, fueled by higher energy, packaging, and labor costs, coincided with further increases in mozzarella and butter production, while Brexit reclassified the UK as a third-country export destination.

In 2023, market volume declined to 4 702 thousand tons despite an 18% jump in mozzarella production following the opening of a new mozzarella plant by Laiterie des Ardennes in 2021. European-wide supply-chain pressures from the war in Ukraine and global commodity price swings affected milk prices and production, while a dip in consumer sentiment saw the image of milk among francophone Belgians fall from 67% in 2021 to 55% in 2023, with growing preference for plant-based alternatives.

Production milk in Belgium

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of milk, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk, 2017-2020

Belgium's milk production volume increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, Belgium produced 4 502 K t of milk, marking a 3.8% rise compared to the previous year. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production grew by 10.9%, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5%.

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

Exports milk from Belgium

Exports in kind, K t

After two years of growth, milk exports from Belgium declined. In 2020, exports amounted to 1 190 K t, reflecting a moderate decrease of 4.1% from the prior year. From 2017 to 2020, exports increased by 7.7%, with a CAGR of 2.5%. The highest export volume was recorded in 2019 at 1 240 K t, which also saw the largest annual increase of 6.2%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Belgium in kind, 2017-2020, K t

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands (28.4% of exports in kind), Germany (26.9% of exports in kind), and France (15.9% of exports in kind) remained the key destinations for Belgium's milk exports, collectively accounting for 71.2% of total export flows.

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

World map of product's exports from Belgium in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, M $ US

Following a two-year rise, Belgium's milk export value declined. In 2020, exports reached 1 567 M $ US, representing a 1.4% decrease compared to 2019. Over the 2017-2020 period, export value increased by 8.5%, with a CAGR of 2.8%. The peak value was recorded in 2019 at 1 589 M $ US, which also experienced the largest annual increase of 5.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Belgium in value, 2017-2020, M $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, the Netherlands, France, and Germany were the three principal markets for Belgium's milk exports in value terms, together comprising 57.9% of total export value.

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

World map of product's exports from Belgium in value, 2017-2020

Imports milk to Belgium

Imports in kind, K t

Milk imports to Belgium declined for the second consecutive year. In 2020, imports totaled 1 153 K t, showing a 10.1% decrease from the previous year. From 2017 to 2020, imports fell by 36%, equating to an annualized decline of 13.8%. The highest import volume was recorded in 2018 at 1 833 K t, which also saw the largest annual increase of 1.8%. The largest annual decline occurred in 2019, with a drop of 30.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Belgium in kind, 2017-2020, K t

During 2017-2020, the Netherlands, France, and Germany were the three main sources for Belgium's milk imports in kind, together absorbing 90.4% of total import volume.

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

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

Imports in value, M $ US

Belgium's milk import value declined for the second year in a row. In 2020, imports amounted to 1 145 M $ US, indicating a controlled decrease of 5.6% relative to the prior year. Between 2017 and 2020, import value decreased by 17.6%, with an annualized rate of decline of 6.2%. The maximum value was recorded in 2018 at 1 420 M $ US, which also saw the largest annual increase of 2.2%. The largest annual decline occurred in 2019, with a decrease of 14.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Belgium in value, 2017-2020, M $ US

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands (55.8% of imports in value terms), Germany (15.7% of imports in value terms), and France (15.5% of imports in value terms) were the primary suppliers of milk to Belgium, jointly accounting for 86.9% of total import value.

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

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