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World: Milk production and population

This page provides, in a given period of time, with the comparison between the quantities of milk produced in the world and the distribution of the population.

The reference countries are grouped according to the geographical logic of the continents and their internal divisions.

The first graph compares, by geographical area, the population share and the milk production share. The population and milk production data are then organized into tables, with the possibility of expanding the regions and consulting the data of the individual countries, and displayed in histograms.

N.B.: It is interesting to note that both the volumes of cow milk production and population have increased. The general growth of cow milk production (thanks also to the technology developments, sanitary controls, genetic research, nutrition...) goes along with a wealthier population.

The different proportion between milk output and population gives the opportunity to make some further remarks.

Examining the following chart it is possible to notice that:
  • There are geographical areas with a good standard of living (as for example the EU-28, Oceania, North America...) where production exceeds needed domestic demand, thus offering a wide range of dairy products for exports;
  • There are geographical areas that evidence shortage of milk and dairy products (such as Asia, Africa...), compared to population;
  • There are geographical areas showing an important production (for example Extra EU-28, South America) compared to population. However, the domestic income does not allow an adequate consumption of milk and dairy products.
Cow milk production in the World
(Tons x 1000)
Country 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 ±% on 2020
Asia 117.924 124.606 132.463 138.231 146.970 156.030 164.791 178.708 179.902 +0,67%
European Union 138.313 143.284 146.201 147.709 148.814 151.273 152.581 154.487 151.693 -1,81%
North America 99.084 101.277 102.779 104.807 106.730 107.906 108.294 110.622 112.095 +1,33%
South Central America and Caribbean 81.005 82.246 82.849 80.189 80.864 82.489 83.187 85.719 85.549 -0,20%
Europe (Others - extra EU) 73.591 74.848 75.032 73.271 74.482 74.544 74.684 75.483 74.952 -0,70%
Asia - South East 44.288 46.089 46.845 45.801 45.611 45.951 46.937 49.600 52.276 +5,40%
Africa 37.275 37.399 37.316 37.995 38.291 38.926 40.701 42.650 42.509 -0,33%
Oceania 29.014 30.889 31.450 30.880 30.499 31.258 30.601 30.690 30.765 +0,24%
Asia - Middle East 13.863 14.504 11.940 12.275 12.937 12.922 13.270 14.466 13.914 -3,81%
World 634.356 655.142 666.875 671.158 685.199 701.299 715.047 742.426 743.657
± % on the previous year   +3,28 +1,79 +0,64 +2,09 +2,35 +1,96 +3,83 +0,17
Last update: 28-03-2023
Source: FAO
World population
(People x 1000)
Country 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 ±% on 2020
Asia - South East 2.232.358 2.249.235 2.265.388 2.280.997 2.296.431 2.309.883 2.321.050 2.330.050 2.336.145 +0,26%
Asia 1.884.519 1.909.551 1.933.797 1.957.903 1.982.017 2.005.431 2.028.302 2.051.053 2.072.096 +1,03%
Africa 1.140.181 1.170.300 1.201.108 1.232.112 1.263.336 1.295.263 1.327.700 1.360.680 1.393.677 +2,43%
South Central America and Caribbean 610.318 616.726 623.068 629.333 635.440 641.295 646.837 651.828 656.087 +0,65%
European Union 441.258 442.884 443.667 444.803 445.534 446.209 446.446 447.320 447.207 -0,03%
North America 354.574 357.573 360.475 363.459 366.480 369.311 371.979 373.968 375.290 +0,35%
Europe (Others - extra EU) 306.846 307.632 308.450 309.317 310.004 310.426 310.684 310.533 309.762 -0,25%