Milk market in Libya

Earlier Report Observations

The milk market volume in Libya declined from 428 thousand tons in 2018 to 342 thousand tons in 2023. The most pronounced drop occurred in 2022, when the market shrank by 13% to 340 thousand tons, largely due to a sharp contraction in imports, which fell from 195 thousand tons in 2018 to 112 thousand tons in 2022. Customs and regulatory decisions issued by the Libyan Ministry of Economy in 2022, which governed the import of goods, directly restricted the inflow of dairy products into the market.

Domestic milk production remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 218 thousand tons and 237 thousand tons over the period. After declines in 2020 and 2021, output recovered to 228 thousand tons in 2022, despite mounting costs from rising global fertilizer prices and feed supply chain disruptions. These factors increased the cost of milk production but did not prevent a short-term volume increase.

In 2022, the Libyan Ministry of Health issued a warning against infant milk from Abbote due to bacterial contamination, affecting consumer trust in specific brands. Growing awareness of the scientific evidence on the benefits of infant formula also likely shifted consumer preferences in that segment. By 2024, food security challenges and exchange rate fluctuations continued to pressure production costs, while import volumes remained subdued.

Production milk in Libya

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of milk, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk, 2017-2020

Libya's milk production grew for two consecutive years before declining. In 2019, production reached its peak at 237.1 thousand tons, marking a 1.6% increase from the previous year. However, by 2020, output had fallen to 228.8 thousand tons, representing a 3.5% decrease compared to 2019.

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

Exports milk from Libya

Exports in kind, K t

Libya's milk exports dropped dramatically in 2020, falling to zero thousand tons. This represents a 99.8% decline from the previous year's levels.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, Turkey and Gambia dominated Libya's milk exports in volume terms, together accounting for 99.8% of total shipments.

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

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

Exports in value, M $ US

The value of Libya's milk exports plummeted to zero million US dollars in 2020, reflecting a sharp 99.4% decrease from the previous year.

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

From 2017 to 2020, Turkey was the primary and nearly exclusive market for Libya's milk exports in value terms, representing 95.3% of total export revenue.

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

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

Imports milk to Libya

Imports in kind, K t

Libya's milk imports continued to decline for the second straight year. In 2018, imports peaked at 194.8 thousand tons, showing a 20.2% increase from 2017. However, 2019 saw a significant 19.3% drop to 156.0 thousand tons, followed by a further 0.8% decrease in 2020. Overall, imports fell by 3.8% between 2017 and 2020, with an average annual decline of 1.3%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, Libya's milk import sources were relatively diversified rather than concentrated. Italy accounted for 18.4% of imports by volume, Germany for 13.9%, and Turkey for 8.2%, together making up 40.4% of total imports. The remaining 59.6% came from numerous other countries.

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

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

Imports in value, M $ US

The value of Libya's milk imports showed notable fluctuations between 2017 and 2020. In 2018, imports reached their highest point at 226.8 million US dollars, but fell sharply by 23.0% to 174.6 million in 2019. By 2020, imports rebounded strongly to 209.2 million, marking a 19.8% year-over-year increase. Overall, import value grew by 4.8% over the four-year period, with an average annual growth rate of 1.6%.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, Libya sourced its milk imports from a wide range of markets. Germany accounted for 16.2% of import value, New Zealand for 14.1%, and Italy for 10.9%, together representing 41.3% of total import spending. The remaining 58.7% was distributed among many smaller suppliers.

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

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