IDM ¦ Column
World dairy situation in focus
IDF launches new report on global dairy markets and trends
Author: Caroline Emond, Director General of the International Dairy Federation
The International Dairy Federation’s latest overview of the
dairy sector, covering markets worldwide, global trends
and preliminary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has
been released. The latest edition of its flagship publication
on global dairy markets, the World Dairy Situation
Report 2020, was unveiled at a special online launch event on 27
October. The publication is produced annually by IDF as part of its
mission to represent and support the dairy sector globally.
The 2020 edition is the result of close collaboration between
dairy experts and key organisations around the globe and within
the IDF. It consists of written chapters on production, processing,
prices, consumption, and trade, and is expanded with 30 tables
that give the reader an overview of global dairy developments. In
this year’s issue, a full chapter is dedicated to the preliminary impacts
of the coronavirus crisis on the global dairy sector in 2020.
Assessing the impact of 2020
Given the depth and breadth of the challenge, the resilience
of the dairy chain has been remarkable. Considered as an essential
service in most regions of the world, the dairy supply
chain is reacting and adapting its practices to face the challenge
and continue to produce healthy and nutritious milk and
dairy products.
This crisis will no doubt have long term effects on the social
and economic fabric of our societies. As is still unknown
how long this global pandemic will last, market uncertainty will
likely remain for several months.
Given the confinement in many countries, COVID-19 has
shifted consumer purchase patterns with less consumptions of
dairy products in restaurants and foodservice and increased demand
at the retail level. The 2020 milk production growth is expected
to return close to the long-term average slightly above
2% after being lower than expected in 2019.
World prices, which suffered a downward shock due to
COVID-19, are expected to return to normal levels by 2021. The
geopolitical and trade environment also contribute to uncertainty
in the dairy sector with ad hoc tariffs being imposed and several
bilateral and multilateral trade agreements under negotiation
while others are being implemented. Nonetheless, the dairy
sector continues to consolidate to achieve greater efficiencies.
In-depth understanding of supply
and demand trends
The 243-page report contains detailed information about the international
dairy sector, including data tables, graphs, country
reports and analyses for more than 50 dairy-producing countries
from all five continents. Its statistics will help the reader to better
understand and deal with the many challenges and opportunities
facing the global dairy market. The report will be of interest for
dairy farmers, equipment and service providers, dairy processors,
cooperatives, distributors and retailers, experts in dairy marketing,
sales, nutrition, ingredient & input firms, food-industry/food
service, agricultural schools, universities, governments representatives,
consultancy firms and specialized media.
“The World Dairy Situation 2020 is an essential read for
decision-makers and dairy sector stakeholders concerned
with continuously changing global dairy market conditions.
To further meet the needs of our sector, the 2020
edition of the report also features a special chapter dedicated
to the preliminary impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic
on the dairy sector, including details on how the sector is
adapting its practices to continue to produce safe and sustainable
milk and dairy products.”
The report is available for purchase on IDF website www.fil-idf.org.
20 · November/December 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com
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