The volume of cow’s milk collected by processing enterprises increased in the first half of this year by 12.1% (to more than 625 thousand tons), but the production of consumer milk decreased by more than 10 thousand tons, according to data sent on Thursday Statistics .

According to official data, the production of yogurts, whipped milk (and other similar products) fell by almost 10%, and butter fell to 5,000 tons (a slight decrease of 2%). Only cream production slightly increased by 1% (almost 32,000 tons in 6 months).

Unfortunately, Romania found itself in the situation of importing milk. Every year, we import 220 million liters of milk from all over Europe into the country. From Denmark and Spain to the nearest Belgium, France or Greece – all European states pour milk into Romanians’ cups.

Imports of milk and milk products have increased by a staggering 1,846% over the past 30 years

The annual deficit was more than €104 million/year, of which more than 90% was accumulated in the post-accession period (the annual average was almost €215 million), explains INS Chairman Tudorel Andrei in his recently published book. “Foreign trade of Romania in agro-food products 1990-2020” in the publishing house of the Romanian Academy.

1990 was the year when one of the sharpest reductions in the export of agri-food products in the country’s economic history was recorded. The volume of exports in value units decreased in 1990 compared to the previous one by almost 85%, and in natural units the reduction was even greater, over 94%, explains Andrii Tudorel.

As examples, the head of the INS talks about the reduction of exports: meat and edible organs (-97%), milk and dairy products (-97%), vegetables (-87%), fruit (-67%), meat and fish semi-finished products (-82%), Sugar and sugar products (-98%), Vegetable and fruit semi-finished products (-82%) and Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (-84%).

Compared with 1989, the import of milk has increased more than 25 times. Over the past 30 years, production has halved

In milk production, five countries of the European Union are among the 20 most important countries in the world: Germany has a total production of 33.1 million tons, which is more than 8 thousand kg/animal and an average production per inhabitant of almost 400 liters, the head of the INS also indicates. France ranks second in the EU with a production of 25.5 million tons, the average production per animal is 7.2 thousand liters, and the average production per inhabitant is more than 390 liters.

Poland is one of the important producers at the European level, realizing milk production of 14.2 million tons/year, with milk yield per animal of 6.4 thousand kg and average production per inhabitant of 370 liters.

Italy reached a production of almost 12 million tons with an average milk yield per animal of 7.1 thousand liters and an average production per inhabitant of almost 200 liters. With a yield per animal equal to that of Italy, the Netherlands achieves an annual production of more than 10.6 million tonnes, which is 618 liters per capita.

Ireland is the country in the European Union with the highest average production per capita, almost 1,600 liters, with a total production of more than 7.8 million tons and a productivity per animal of almost 5,300 tons.

Returning to Romania, our country has a milk production of almost 4.2 million tons, and the reliance on an animal is much lower than in the case of other important countries of the European Union, only 3.62 thousand tons of milk, the production per inhabitant is 215 liters.

The above statistics once again confirm the weak development of the livestock industry in Romania compared to the significant potential we have. Under these conditions, productivity is much lower than in the livestock sector in countries with notable results in the livestock sector, forcing Romania to import a significant amount of agri-food products, putting great pressure on the trade balance with agricultural products. food products, Andrii Tudorel also believes.