The whole country imported $661.9 million worth of dairy products.

Currently, imported milk is always more expensive than milk with equivalent micronutrient content produced in Vietnam.

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Citing statistics from the General Department of Customs, the Trade and Industry Information Center (Ministry of Industry and Trade) reported that from the beginning of the year to the end of August 2013, the whole country imported $661.9 million worth of milk and dairy products, an increase of 10.29% compared to the same period in 2012.

In August 2013 alone, the import value of this item was $80.6 million, a decrease of 6.5% compared to the previous month.

The main markets supplying milk and dairy products to Vietnam in the first eight months of this year were New Zealand, the United States, Thailand, Malaysia, Denmark, etc., with New Zealand accounting for the largest share at 27%, equivalent to $178.8 million, an increase of 12.81% compared to the same period in 2012.

The second-largest market after New Zealand is the United States, with a turnover of $133.3 million, an increase of 45.77%.

Notably, imports of milk and dairy products from the Spanish market, although only worth $5.2 million, showed strong growth, increasing by 655.2% compared to the first eight months of 2012.

In August 2013, the fresh milk market in Vietnam welcomed Devoldale, a major Australian milk producer accounting for approximately one-third of Australia's milk production, into the Vietnamese market.

According to the Trade and Industry Information Center, since the beginning of August, many foreign milk companies have simultaneously increased their selling prices by 5-10%. Notably, this price increase is occurring amidst the milk contamination incidents affecting several major milk companies.

According to dealers, the reasons for this price increase include rising input costs, changes in product design and style, increased global milk prices, rising fuel prices, and rising wages.

Currently, on the market, the price of imported milk is always higher than that of milk with equivalent micronutrient content produced in Vietnam. In the current powdered milk market, the price of a can of milk produced by a Vietnamese company is only 50-70% of the price of an imported can.

According to vov.vn - LT