2023 CWT-Assisted Export Sales Totaled 107.7 Million Pounds as Category Volumes Rise
January 4, 2024
CWT-assisted dairy product sales contracts in 2023 totaled 58.4 million pounds of American-type cheese, 1.1 million pounds of butter, 46,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 9.1 million pounds of cream cheese and 39.0 million pounds of whole milk powder. This brings the total milk equivalent for the year to 922.1 million pounds on a milkfat basis, equal to 107.7 million pounds on a product volume basis. Product destinations include Aisa, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America.
Apart from cheese, all CWT supported products increased sales volumes through the program in 2023. Notably, CWT-assisted butter sales rose 73% and whole milk powder gained 27%. CWT supported sales also reached more countries than the year before – helping more consumers around the world access high-quality, U.S. dairy products.
CWT member cooperatives secured 55 contracts in December, adding 12.4 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 20,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, and 827,000 pounds of cream cheese to CWT-assisted sales in 2023. In milk equivalent, this is equal to 121.3 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. These products will go to customers in Asia, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America and will be shipped from December 2023 through May 2024.
Exporting dairy products is critical to the viability of dairy farmers and their cooperatives across the country. Whether or not a cooperative is actively engaged in exporting cheese, butter, anhydrous milkfat, cream cheese, or whole milk powder, moving products into world markets is essential. CWT provides a means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages.
The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.
