Milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% market in SADC

Earlier Report Observations

The market for milk powder with fat content ≤1.5% in the SADC region contracted from 41 536 t in 2018 to 35 116 t in 2023, with the volume showing notable year-to-year volatility. This period was characterized by a major shift in domestic production and substantial swings in trade flows.

A drastic reduction in local output to 4 369 t in 2019 was a key driver for the smaller market that year, even as imports rose. Production saw a gradual recovery in subsequent years, reaching 4 783 t by 2023. Concurrently, export volumes fluctuated sharply, rising to nearly 9 000 t in 2020 and 2021 before falling back to around 1 150 t from 2022, directly impacting the total available market volume.

For 2024, available data shows imports of 33 703 t and exports of 1 161 t, with full market size awaiting production figures.

Production milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% in SADC

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5%, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5%, 2017-2020

Market performance showed noticeable fluctuations during this period. The lowest production volume was recorded in 2019 at 4 369 tonnes, while the highest was reached in 2018 at 8 694 tonnes, representing a peak-to-trough ratio of 2 times. In 2020, SADC produced 4 524 tonnes of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5%, marking a modest 3.5% improvement over 2019. The largest decline occurred in 2019 at 49.8%, while the largest increase was seen in 2018 at 96.1%.

Annual dynamics of production in SADC in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% from SADC

Exports in kind, t

The market displayed an unstable trend throughout this timeframe. The lowest export volume was recorded in 2018 at 1 143 tonnes, while the peak occurred in 2017, showing an 11.6-fold swing between these years. In 2020, foreign milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% supplies from SADC amounted to 8 880 tonnes, corresponding to a substantial 19.6% gain from the previous year. The largest decline was recorded in 2018 at 91.4%, while the largest increase occurred in 2019 at 549.6%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, Cameroon (2.5% of exports in kind), Ghana (1.6% of exports in kind), and Gabon (0.7% of exports in kind) led the structure of exports in kind, together representing 4.8% of total flows.

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

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

Exports in value, M $ US

After a two-year decrease, exported milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% volumes from SADC increased. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at 18.0 million US dollars, while in 2020, SADC exported 24.2 million US dollars of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5%, marking a 34.3% increase from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, exports decreased by 28.6%, equating to a 10.6% annualized rate. The largest decline was recorded in 2019 at 31.6%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, Cameroon (3.2% of exports in value terms), Ghana (1.9% of exports in value terms), and Gabon (0.8% of exports in value terms) were among the largest buyers of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% from SADC, but even together they represented just 5.9% of total exports in value terms, indicating a broadly diversified partner base.

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

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

Imports milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% to SADC

Imports in kind, t

SADC's volume of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% imports increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, import volume amounted to 38 887 tonnes, marking an 8.1% increase versus the previous year. Over the period 2017-2020, imports increased by 18.8%, with a CAGR of 5.9%.

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

During 2017–2020, imports in kind of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% to SADC were allocated across a large number of markets, with New Zealand (20.4% of imports in kind), France (14.3% of imports in kind), and Malaysia (10.3% of imports in kind) jointly accounting for only 45.0% of total flows.

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

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

Imports in value, M $ US

SADC's volume of milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5% imports increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, import volume totalled 121.9 million US dollars, reflecting a 16.9% uptick from 2019. Over the period 2017-2020, imports increased by 28.3%, with a CAGR of 8.7%.

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

Over 2017–2020, there was no single dominant market for milk powder with fat content of ≤1.5%: New Zealand (24.5% of imports in value terms), France (13.4% of imports in value terms), and Malaysia (11.6% of imports in value terms) together took only 49.5% of total imports in value terms, while many smaller partners each accounted for modest individual shares.

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

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