EU-28 SMP exports fell for the 13th consecutive month in November. SMP exports were 57,461t – down 4.1% YOY and an 11-month low. SMP exports were down 15.4% YOY for the year to November. SE Asia accounted for 64% of that decline but there were also large declines in exports to Mexico and the Middle East.

In contrast, cheese exports improved, increasing YOY in 16 of the 17 months since July 2019. Cheese exports rose 2.2% YOY to 77,263t in November. CIS and Japan were the strongest expansion regions for the year to November, jointly accounting for 70% of the growth (or 35,908t) while shipments to North America fell by 13,980t. There were also stronger cheese shipments to South Korea (+27%), China & HK (+30%) and Northern Africa (+11%) for the period.

Butter exports fell for the fourth consecutive month in November, down 41.5% YOY to 11,795t. Butter exports still increased by 35,987t for the year to November, with MENA accounting for most of that growth (47%). WMP exports fell 8.1% YOY to 20,247t in November, and have now declined in three of the last four months for which data is available. WMP exports were up 11% for the year to date. An estimated 93% of that growth was into Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. On a 12-month rolling basis, November cheese, lactose and milk & cream exports were at an all-time high.