Just over 25,000 tonnes of whole milk powder (WMP) was imported by China in November this year. Compared to the same month in 2013 imports were 73% lower. NZ supplied virtually all of the WMP imported increasing its market share to nearly 98%.
Skim milk powder (SMP) imports were also down by 41%. NZ again clawed back some of the market share lost the previous year.
Across the first 11 months of 2014 China has imported an additional 100,000 tonnes of WMP compared with the same time period in 2013. WMP imports are now just below 590,000 tonnes for the Jan – Nov 2014 period. Across the 2013 calendar year China imported 562,600 tonnes of WMP and 235,000 tonnes of SMP. SMP imports for the Jan-Nov period this year were 273,000 tonnes, 29% more than during the same time period in 2013.
Imports of butter and anhydrous milkfa (AMF) were also less than normal in November. Butter imports for the month of November were 25% down year on year while AMF imports were 21% lower.
