New Zealand has retained its position as the world’s largest single-country dairy exporter, accounting for 22.1% of global dairy exports in 2025, according to Rabobank’s World Dairy Map 2026. The report shows that global dairy trade grew by 11% between 2017 and 2025, increasing from 91.1 billion kg to 101.2 billion kg in liquid milk equivalent (LME) terms.
Despite the expansion in global trade, New Zealand has maintained remarkably stable export volumes, contributing between 21 billion kg and 23 billion kg over the past eight years and holding steady at 22 billion kg annually since 2023. While New Zealand’s market share has edged lower as overall trade expanded, it continues to supply more than one-fifth of all dairy exports worldwide, reinforcing its importance in global dairy markets.
The report also notes that the European Union remains the world’s largest dairy exporter as a bloc with a 27% share of global exports in 2025, although this has declined from nearly 30% in 2017, largely due to weaker exports to China. Meanwhile, New Zealand has strengthened its position in Asia, becoming China’s largest supplier of imported liquid milk and cream since 2024, highlighting the country’s resilience and continued competitiveness in global dairy trade. (rabobank.co.nz)
Source: Dairynews7x7 29 July, 2026 Read full story here
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