PRODUCTION OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS, 2022

In 2022, as compared to 2021, the quantity of collected cows’ milk decreased by 5.4%. The quantity of ewes’ milk decreased by 19.0% and of goats’ milk by 8.4%.

Expressed in quantities, it means that in 2022, as much as 23 140 t less cows’ milk, 525 t less ewes’ milk and 326 t less goats’ milk was collected.

The quantity of whole milk imported by dairies increased in 2022 as compared to 2021 by about 29 900 t, that is, by 20.5%, while the quantity of imported cream increased by about 2 800 t (57.8%).

Compared to the previous year, the production of drinking milk increased by about 13 000 t (4.9%), the production of cream by 362 t (1.1%) and fermented products by 152 t (0.2%), while the production of drinks with a milk base decreased by 2 500 t (11.1%).

There was an increase of 108 t (2.7%) in the production of butter and of 883 t (2.7%) in the total cows’ cheese production in 2022 as compared to 2021. The production of cheese from ewes’ milk (pure) decreased by 9.8% and of cheese from goats’ milk (pure) by 4.2%.

Regarding the production of other types of cheese, the production of soft cheese decreased by 64.1% (960 t), of medium-soft cheese by 1.8% (3 t), and of hard cheese by 17.5% (177 t). The production of fresh cheese increased by 0.4%, of medium-hard cheese by 0.3%, and of extra hard cheese by 441.7%.

As compared to the previous year, the milk fat content in collected cows’ milk decreased by 5.5%, in ewes’ milk by 19.5%, and in goats’ milk by 8.7%.

Regarding individual dairy products, the milk fat content in drinking milk increased by 4.9%, in fermented products by 123.0%, in butter by 2.7%, and in cheese from cows’ milk (pure) by 0.6%. The milk fat content decreased in cream by 0.7% and drinks with a milk base by 9.4%.

The cows’ milk protein content decreased in drinking milk by 12.3% and in cream by 5.2%. It increased in cows’ cheese by 6.4%.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Data on the annual production of milk and dairy products are taken over from the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food – the Central Laboratory for Milk Quality Control (SLKM). The data collected that way refer to the quantity of cows’, ewes’ and goats’ milk collected, milk fat and protein contents, the production of dairy products from cows’ milk and the foreign dairies’ trade in milk and dairy products.

The Laboratory processes the collected data and submits them, according to the previously defined deadlines and in suitable form, to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics for further processing.

The methodology for carrying out the survey on milk and dairy products is based on the Methodological Basis for Gathering Data on Milk and Dairy Products Statistics (NN, No. 42/13).

Coverage and comparability

There are about forty dairies operating in the Republic of Croatia for which the SLKM makes analysis of purchased milk and from which it collects data on the production. The coverage includes industrial and registered small dairies.

Confidentiality

Aggregated data for which there are reasons for confidentiality (small number of units, the dominance rule or secondary confidentiality rule) according to the Official Statistics Act (NN, No. 25/20) and to the Ordinance on the Statistical Data Protection Method of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics are treated as confidential and therefore are not published.

Definitions

Drinking milk comprises raw milk, whole milk, skimmed milk, semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk containing no additives.

Raw milk comprises milk that has not been heated beyond 40 °C or undergone any treatment that has an equivalent effect.

Whole milk (pasteurised, sterilised and uperised) comprises milk with fat content ≥ 3.5%, subject to heat treatment.

Semi-skimmed milk (pasteurised, sterilised and uperised) comprises milk with fat content 1.5% – 2.8%, subject to one heat treatment.

Skimmed milk (pasteurised, sterilised and uperised) comprises milk with fat content < 1.5%, subject to one heat treatment.

Pasteurised milk – milk treated with high temperature (at least 72 °C for 15 seconds).

Sterilised milk – milk treated with high temperature (120 °C for 30 minutes) in hermetically sealed containers.

Uperised milk – milk treated with high temperature (135 °C for not less than 1 second).

Buttermilk is a residual product of the processing of milk or cream into butter.

Cream comprises cream for direct consumption, containing more or less than 29% of milk fat.

Fermented products include yoghurts, drinkable yoghurts, acidified milk and other fermented products either with or without additives.

Drinks with a milk base comprise products containing at least 50% milk equivalent (chocolate milk, buttermilk with additives, etc.).

Other fresh products comprise fresh milk products not elsewhere specified (mainly milk-based desserts).

Concentrated milk comprises milk obtained by partial elimination of water from whole milk, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk.

Powdered dairy products comprise products obtained by eliminating water from cream, all kinds of milk, buttermilk and fermented products.

Butter includes traditional butter, melted butter, butter oil and similar products containing more than 80% of milk fat.

Other yellow fat products comprise products based on butter with milk fat content of less than 80%.

Cheese includes fresh or matured, solid or semi-solid products, obtained by coagulating milk, cream, buttermilk or other products.

Processed cheese comprises products obtained by grinding, mixing, melting and emulsifying one or more varieties of cheese, with or without additives.

Whey includes liquid whey and powdered whey in liquid equivalent. It is a by-product obtained during the manufacture of cheese or casein.

Abbreviations

Symbols

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Edita Omerzo, Director of Spatial Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Mario Valentić and Anita Grlica

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