There’s more to milk than cows
When we talk about milk and dairy, we mean cow milk, right? Often that’s the case, but spare a thought for the humble goat …
No. 3 in the milk-production charts
Global production of goat milk in 2021 was estimated at 20.9 million tonnes. This puts the goat third on the world list of milk-producing species although, with just 2.3% of total milk production, it is some way behind the cow (81.3% of the total) and the buffalo (15.0%).
Production of goat milk has more than trebled in the past 50 years (production of cow milk doubled in the same period). Expansion was led by Asia, where volumes grew nearly fivefold, and Africa, which saw production increase by a factor of four. Growth was less spectacular elsewhere, but European production of goat milk is still twice the level of 50 years ago.
1. Asia, 2. Africa, 3. Europe
Asia accounted for an estimated 55% of goat milk output in 2021 (37% in 1971). More than 50% of Asian goat milk is produced in India and a further 20%+ in Bangladesh. The Top Five producing countries in Asia supply roughly 90% of total Asian volumes.
Behind Asia comes Africa, with 21% of the global volume in 2021 (23% in 1971). Distribution among African countries is more evenly spread than in Asia – the Top Five have just a 50% share – but there are still dominant countries: Sudan (25%+) and South Sudan (10%+).
While the Asian and African goat sectors are broadly composed of subsistence farming and smallholdings, European countries are typified by more specialised commercial operations. Europe contributed an estimated 15% of global goat milk in 2021 (24% in 1971). There is a high degree of concentration, the Top Five (France, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece and the Russian Federation) accounting for 70% of the European total.
Goat milk is less important in the Middle East (5%), where Iran is the main supplier, and Latin America (4%), led by Brazil. Volumes are small in North America and even lower in Oceania.
Putting goat milk into context
World milk production comes almost entirely from cows, buffalo, goats, sheep and camels. Other less common milk animals are yaks, horses, reindeer and donkeys. The importance of each species varies significantly among regions and countries. The key elements that determine which dairy species is reared are feed, water and climate.
Other factors that may influence the presence of a dairy species are market demand, dietary traditions and the socio-economic characteristics of individual households.
Milk breakdown by species
- Cow milk dominant (97-100% of the total) in Europe, the Americas and Oceania.
- More varied in Africa and Asia.
The rise of goat milk
Dairy goats have long provided an alternative to dairy cows in regions where the soil is of inadequate quality and/or in situations where they are better suited to lower income levels. More recently, the commercial opportunities for goat milk have come to the fore, and there have been claims about the relative environmental and nutritional benefits of goat vs cow milk (although the jury still seems to be out on these issues).
The rapid expansion of the goat sector can be attributed to several factors: environmental constraints on cattle farming; changing incomes and food preferences; and, premium prices for goat farmers (plus lower input costs, in many cases).
Where to find data
Given the relatively small size of the goat-milk sector, and the fact that, in many regions, sales of goat milk are carried out through ‘informal’ channels and are not recorded, data are harder to find than they are for cow milk, for example. FAOSTAT is a good starting point for global figures, largely estimated, on herds, milk and derived products (e.g. cheese).
Even in Europe, detailed information is not as readily available for goat milk as for cow milk. Nevertheless, there are some very good sources, if you know where to look. We know … so please keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming feature on goat milk in the EU.