In the 2006 calendar year German milk and milk products amounting to 4.404 billion euros were sold abroad. This figure does not include trade turnover. This meant that exports rose by 4.4 % to a new record high, and German dairies achieved 21 % of their turnover abroad. The milk industry is the biggest export sector in the German foodstuffs sector. According to the German Federal Statistics Office, the foodstuffs sector as a whole sold goods to the value of 21.69 billion euros abroad.

The most significant export product of the German dairy sector is cheese. Over 820,000 tonnes were exported. 120,000 tonnes of this went to non-EU countries, above all to Russia. However, other non-EU countries such as Japan, the USA, the Balkan countries and Saudi Arabia are an important destination for German cheese exports.

The export of skimmed milk powder suffered a large decline of - 30 %. The high rate of exchange for the euro meant that German suppliers were not always able to compete on the world market. In addition, the United States reduced high stock levels and disposed of them on the world markets in the form of food aid.

There was also a decline of deliveries of yoghurt, desserts etc. in export to non-EU countries. There are now many foreign investments, particularly in Russia, meaning that the goods no longer need to be supplied from Europe.

Butter sales also declined by - 5.5 %. The amount sold went down above all in exports to non-EU countries, because the EU Commission had significantly reduced export payments.

New member states stimulate the trade

Export business with the new accession countries developed well. New market shares were added for cheese.

Prospects for 2007 are mixed. Very high prices on the world market should encourage exports, but the high rate of exchange of the euro and the reduction in export subsidies on the part of the Brussels authorities constitute an obstacle to this. The trend for sales to the new member states continues to be positive, and also with the countries of the second and third wave of EU accession.

In terms of imports, more raw materials are entering Germany from the new accession countries. Cream in particular is being imported to Germany, as well as fresh milk, where these are processed. On the other hand, other significant export destinations are declining. Italy is importing smaller quantities, meeting its needs in part from the new accession countries.