P. Navarro Villa
Research expert covering food and agriculture in Latin America
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Mexico’s dairy industry, which is made of private companies, government subsidizedcompanies, as well as many small local producers, is a growing one. In 2022, the country counted 6,65 thousand milk cows and produced over 12 thousand metric tons of milk. However, it still relies on imported products to keep up with national demand. This is due to different reasons, in some cases, production has been impacted by factors such as inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced small producers to scale down or close. In other cases, such as in the case of skim milk powder, the most imported product, it is cheaper to import than to produce.Consumption
Milk and other dairy products are popular in Mexican households and in the culinary industry. While milk is the most consumed dairy product, typical Mexican soft cheeses such as panela and fresco accompany several dishes either as a topping or as a starter, and butter is mostly used in bakery and confectionary products. In terms of consumer trends, wellness and health are gaining momentum in Mexico, the market volume of milk substitutes is on an upward trend.
