Does Australia import any milk?
Australia imports some liquid milk, which makes up around 2% of the total volume of dairy product imports.
Last updated 17/01/2024
In 2022/23, Australia’s import of liquid milk represented around 2% of total dairy imports, with the majority of imported milk coming from New Zealand.
In some cases, this is the finished product already packaged ready for sale. In other cases, it is in bulk which is added to make new products that are destined for either the local or export market.
Cheese, particularly speciality cheese, remains our biggest dairy import.
There are a number of reasons why Australia imports dairy products, including:
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a market gap where the product is not or cannot be produced in Australia (generally speciality products)
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insufficient quantity available locally to meet demand
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products are permitted as a result of trade agreements
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product is needed to produce a new product.
Read more about dairy imports in Dairy Australia's In Focus publication.
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