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Cheese production last year fractionally lower than in 2021
Cheese production in the Netherlands was fractionally lower last year than in 2021. Exports have meanwhile increased, as has the import of foreign cheese into the Netherlands.
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This was what chairman Marlou Verkleij of the Dutch Dairy Exchange Foundation said in her New Year's speech. In 2022, according to ZuivelNL's latest forecast, 950.000 tons of cheese would be made in the Netherlands. That is 9.000 tons, or just under 1% less than in 2021. Cheese imports meanwhile increased by about 6% from 381.000 tons to 404.000 tons. Exports increased to 1.01 million tons. The vast majority of this went to neighboring countries in the EU.
Difficult year for the cheese trade
The cheese trade is not having an easy year, Verkleij indicated. Energy costs in particular are painful. Professional association Gemzu conducted a survey among members in the middle of last year, which showed that 75% of all companies had a variable energy contract at the end of 2022 and therefore high costs, while only 7% of respondents indicated that they could pass on these costs.
Most companies expect worse declines. Nearly 82% of companies expect unchanged or declining profits, or expect to operate at a loss. In a sense, dairy traders look with some envy at dairy farming, which had a record year last year.
Dairy farming top year 'more than awarded'
Nevertheless, Verkleij stated that dairy farming is 'more than welcome' to have a peak year like 2022. Things are not always easy in dairy farming and lower milk prices are coming again.
Falling prices do make it easier for the trade to operate profitably. It was not easy for the companies to be able to pass on the high purchasing prices of the last year to retailers or other customers.