The Turkish Statistical Institute has reported notable increases in milk collection and dairy production for the month of December, highlighting the overall growth in the sector for the year.

According to a statement released on Thursday, integrated dairies in Türkiye collected 942,928 tonnes of milk in December. This figure represents a 7.9% increase compared to the same month of the previous year. Additionally, the total amount of cow's milk collected by dairy enterprises rose by 9.9% in the January-December period when compared to the same period of the previous year.

Production increases were observed across various dairy products in December. Compared with the same month of the previous year, cheese production from cow's milk increased by 9.9%, ayran (a traditional drink made of yogurt) production rose by 9.6%, yogurt production grew by 4.8%, and butter production saw a substantial increase of 15.8%. However, drinking milk production decreased by 1.7%.

For the January-December period, cheese production from cow's milk increased by 6.6%, ayran production grew by 12.3%, yogurt production rose by 6.7%, drinking milk production increased by 3.4%, and butter production saw a 15.2% rise compared to the same period of the previous year.

The amount of cow's milk collected by dairies in December showed a 5.2% increase from the previous month, rising from 896,257 tonnes to 942,928 tonnes. Drinking milk production also saw a marginal increase of 0.9%, climbing from 143,604 tonnes in the previous month to 144,891 tonnes in December.

These figures underscore the dynamic growth in Türkiye's dairy sector, reflecting the increasing demand and production capabilities within the industry. (ILKHA)