Far East boosts cheese exports from the UK

Cheese exports from the UK have been bolstered by the Asian and Oceania markets – with shipments up 17 per cent on last year.

According to the latest data from HMRC, exports totalled 2,300 tonnes in the first quarter of 2021, driven by higher demand in both China and South Korea.

China imported 467 tonnes of cheese from the UK – up significantly from a low base of 64 tonnes during the same period last year. And exports to South Korea rose from 53 tonnes to 165, up more than 200 per cent.

Cheese exports to Australia increased three per cent, with an additional 26 per cent arriving in New Zealand during the first quarter.

The increased demand in both regions comes in a challenging quarter for dairy exports, with the new trade environment causing significant disruption to shipments, as the EU is the UK’s primary trading partner.

Overall, UK dairy exports for the first quarter are down as a result of strong domestic demand and the shut-down of food services in our volume export markets.

AHDB Senior Export Manager for Dairy Lucy Randolph said: “During a challenging period for our dairy exporters, it is good to see strong demand from both the Asian and Oceania markets.

“Countries such as South Korea and China are becoming more familiar with British cheese and like the high quality and taste that our products offer. We look forward to building on these impressive export figures and developing new markets for our dairy exporters.”