A 5% drop in the volume of milk collected by milk processing units

The amount of milk collected by milk processing units dropped 4269 tons (-5.1%), in January 2009 month-over-month December 2008. According to the National Statistics Institute, (INS), the biggest output contraction in the month of January 2009, was logged by the butter segment, with 185 tons (-19.2%) compared to the previous month. The cheese output followed a similar trend, dropping 164 tons (-3.1%) in January 2009, month-over-month December 2008. The amount of cheese made exclusively from cow milk (95.7% of the total cash production) followed the same downward trend, the communiqué of the National Statistics Institute shows.

The largest output increase for the month of January 2009 was logged by fermented milk products (yoghurt, drinking yoghurt and similar products), which increased by 3880 tons (+39.2%) over the previous month. The amount of milk increased by 1285 tons (+7.2%) in January 2009 over December 2008. The production of sour cream grew during the reviewed period, from 4149 tons in December 2008 to 4407 tons in January 2009, meaning a 258 ton increase (+6.2%).

The volume of milk collected in January 2009 by processing units dropped by 2046 tons (-2.5%), YOY. The National Statistics Institute found that even though the amount of cow milk collected decreased, the dairy products output grew significantly because the amount of imported milk grew by 4250 tons (+79.8%), just like the volume of raw materials used in the dairy production process increased by 1446 tons (+23.4%).

Butter and milk logged the greatest output increases YOY for the month of January 2009, with 222 tons (+39.9%) and 2657 tons (+16.1%), respectively.