Ljubljana - Slovenian dairies produced some 160,700 tonnes of drinking milk last year, up 1.7% compared to 2020, an upward trend that follows a four-year decline, data by the Statistics Office shows. Full-fat milk accounted for more than 84% of the total production.

Slovenian dairies exported some 321,100 tonnes of milk in 2021, up by 3.8% year-on-year, and imported 37,800 tonnes, 4.7% less than in 2020.

Cream production was up by 0.5%, with low-fat cream production increasing in the past 16 years and reaching almost 5,900 tonnes. Slovenia is a net cream importer, and imported just under 4,300 tonnes of cream in 2021, a 6% drop year-on year, while exporting 1,300 tonnes, which is a 5% increase.

Fermented dairy production dropped slightly after five years of an upward trend, dropping by 0.6%. However, export grew by 1.6%.

Cheese production also declined by 0.5% year-on-year, and so did the production of butter and spreads, by 5.5%.

On the other hand, export of butter grew significantly with figures totalling some 250 tonnes, which is a whopping 64% increase compared to 2020.

The production of other dairy products, such as powdered milk, increased as well.

Moreover, on an upwards trend were export-import values. Import turnover stood at just under EUR 187 million, 7.7% up on 2020, and export increased by 8% generating some EUR 190 million.

Dairy products-wise, Slovenia's main export product remained full-fat milk, bringing in over EUR 89 million. Following the trend of previous years, Slovenia's main dairy import was cheese with the country spending some EUR 113 million on it, the Statistics Office said.