European dairy exports rise amid market surplus

European Union dairy exports grew by 11.88 percent in August 2026 compared to the same period the previous year. According to DCA Market Intelligence, this growth represented 272 million kilograms of milk equivalent. This marks the second consecutive month of positive trends, following an 8.46 percent increase in July.

The rising export volumes have created new sales opportunities for producers of cheese, butter, milk powder, and other dairy raw materials. However, the increase in exports has not yet been sufficient to fully absorb the accumulated surplus in the market.

Performance varied across product categories. While most dairy products saw growth, whey product exports fell by 10.3 percent on an annual basis in August. The supply of milk for processing continues to exceed the combined demand from domestic consumption and international markets, leading to a persistent imbalance between production and market absorption capacity.