Portugal has more than doubled its milk production since the start of the 1980s, going from 970,000 tonnes in 1980 to two million tonnes in 2015, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
In 2015, consumption dropped to 71 kg per inhabitant/year, the lowest value since 1985 and by 11.7 kg lower than the average consumption in the 36 years under review.
During the period 1989-2013, there has also been a significant restructuring of the industry, as the average size of a farm increased by more than eight times (from four to 34 dairy cows).
In a related development, the Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies (APED), together with the Interprofessional Association for Milk and Dairy Products (ALIP), has launched an awareness campaign for the benefits of consumption of milk and milk products with a focus on domestic products.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
