M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Dairy industry in Canada - statistics & facts
Dairy farming is a branch of agriculture which involves the processing of raw animal milk into dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. For many consumers, dairy products are an important nutritional source. For dairy farmers and processors, it is a source of livelihood. Some of the leading dairy corporations worldwide include Nestlé, Lactalis, and the Dairy Farmers of America. Saputo, one of the leaders in the Canadian dairy manufacturing industry, generated sales of over 15 billion Canadian dollars in 2022. The sales of Agropur Dairy Cooperative, one of Saputo's key competitors, amounted to about 8.5 billion Canadian during the 2022 fiscal year.
Dairy production and manufacturing
Quebec is the largest dairy producing province in Canada, with around 360,000 dairy cows and 137 dairy manufacturing establishments. Ontario and British Columbia follow in second and third places, respectively. The value of milk and dairy manufacturing shipments in Canada amounted to about 16.2 billion Canadian dollars in 2021. In 2021, the farm cash receipts of dairy products amounted to above seven billion Canadian dollars.Canadian international dairy trade
Regarding international trade, the trade balance of dairy products in Canada amounted to approximately -700 million Canadian dollars in 2021, meaning dairy imports were valued at around 700 million Canadian dollars more than dairy exports from Canada that year. The United States is, by far, the largest trade partner for Canadian dairy products. The trade value of dairy and eggs imported to Canada from the United States amounted to approximately 373 million U.S. dollars in 2021, followed by Italy with imports valued at around 93 million Canadian dollars.
