According to new research from USDEC, which represents the global trade interests of US dairy stakeholders, Chinese UHT milk consumption jumped from just 18m pounds in 2010 to an estimated 331m pounds in 2013.
It expects this figure to quadruple to more than 1.3bn pounds by 2020 as the country’s appetite grows.
“The rapid growth of China’s UHT milk market is creating opportunities for the United States to further extend its reputation as a global supplier,” said USDEC senior vice president of market research and analysis, Ross Christieson.
“The US industry produces large volumes of UHT milk annually, yet we have played only a minor role in serving booming Chinese consumption to date. Our research suggests that can and should change, particularly given that Chinese buyers have expressed growing interest in US supply to meet spiraling demand.”
“To be successful, we need to build capacity dedicated to exports that is closer to shipping points, as well as find a way to offer more competitive pricing for longer-term contract periods,” Christieson added.