The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported a significant increase in cow's milk collection by integrated dairies, reaching 1,015,647 tonnes in March, a 13.2% surge from February's 897,358 tonnes.

Compared to March last year, milk collection rose by 2.9%, while the January-March period saw a 1.4% increase over the same period in 2024.

Dairy product outputs showed mixed trends. In March, compared to the previous year, drinking milk production jumped by 6.2%, butter and ghee output grew by 1.8%, and cheese from cow's milk edged up by 0.9%. However, yoghurt production dipped by 1.0%, and ayran and kefir production fell slightly by 0.4%.

For the first quarter of 2025, dairy production trends varied. Ayran and kefir production increased by 3.8%, yoghurt output rose by 2.0%, drinking milk production grew by 1.1%, and butter and ghee production saw a modest 0.9% rise. In contrast, cheese production from cow's milk declined by 0.4% compared to the same period last year.

The data highlights Turkey's robust dairy sector, with notable growth in milk collection and select dairy products, despite some declines in specific categories. (ILKHA)