An Overview of the Recent Situation on the Milk Sector Sources and Resources

The dairy sector has an important role in the world food system, with a variety of products consumed by people worldwide. This paper aims to analyze the recent situation of the milk and dairy products sector, from the perspective of milk sources and resources on the dairy products market. Recent data show that in the European Union, the total milk production exceeds 160.8 million tons, of which 96.5% is cow’s milk. Romania has a significant increase in demand for milk and dairy products, driven both by the evolution of the dairy market at European and national level, and by changes in consumer preferences, which are increasingly oriented towards a healthier diet. The research methods used in this paper are structural data analysis, comparative analysis, studying trends based on regression equations and graphical representation of data. The main research questions formulated in the paper refer to the recent breed structure of cattle, sheep, goats, and buffaloes, as sources of milk production, the types of milk-supplying farms, productions of milk and milk products, milk imports and exports. The research showed that households, along with commercial farms, constitute an important source of marketable milk, and that the dairy sector’s resources come from a combination of commercial and non-professional farms. Also, the internal supply is completed by an important offer from imports. Regarding milk prices at the farm gate, it has always been a subject of dissatisfaction for farmers, who have not always covered their production costs. The present paper realizes an overview and provides important data on the recent situation on the milk sector sources and resources, that are currently facing several challenges.