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Cheese trade will break import and export records in 2023
Dutch cheese production increased slightly last year and, with a production of 955.000 tons, remained slightly below the record of 2021, but exports clearly exceeded this. Cheese imports also rose sharply.
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This was said by chairman Marlou Verkleij of the Dutch Dairy Exchange at the organization's New Year's meeting in Bunnik. According to a forecast by ZuivelNL, total Dutch cheese exports amounted to 1.035.000 tons, an absolute record for the Netherlands. It is 6,7% more than was exported in 2022.
The majority of this, 844.000 tonnes, went to destinations within the EU. 191.000 tons were sold outside the EU. Compared to 2022, 9% more sales were made within Europe and 3% less outside Europe.
Not only did exports increase, cheese imports also increased by 14% to 470.000 tons. A large part of this was returned across the border as re-export, for example as packaged and sliced, grated or melted product. Of those imports, 462.000 tons came from other EU countries, 7.500 tons came from countries that are not members of the EU.
Partly thanks to the sharp increase in activities, the cheese sector has had a good year on average, according to Verkleij, although many challenges remain due to sharply increased costs.