Mexican Milk Consumption 35L Below FAO's Recommendation: CANILEC

Per capita milk consumption in Mexico is 35L below the 180L recommendation from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The National Chamber of Milk Industrialists (CANILEC) considers increasing milk consumption to be essential to achieve food security, requiring joint efforts across the sector’s value chain.

During a ceremony to commemorate the International Milk Day, established by FAO on June, 1, 2001, Ricardo Villavicencio, President, CANILEC, noted that Mexicans consume 19.4 billion L of milk, which results in a per capita consumption of 145L per year, which is 35L below FAOs suggestion, which he considers a growth opportunity for the sector. “Beyond the economics, increasing milk consumption is about ensuring the development of future generations. If a child does not drink a glass of milk daily, they are condemned to have deficiencies that will put them at a disadvantage compared to those who do,” he added. 

Daniel Dorantes, President of the Nutrition and Health Commission, CANILEC, noted that while the average Mexican drinks a glass of milk, which accounts for over 397ml of milk per day, they must be consuming at least 500ml. "This is a food security problem for certain segments of the population, such as in the southeast. That is why investments are being made to build plants there, not only to address production but specifically to encourage the consumption of dairy products, Dorantes noted.

Dorantes added that another challenge that prevents people from consuming dairy products are dietary fads that lead people to stop consuming them, even in segments with sufficient access to food, which leads to macronutrient and micronutrient imbalances.

Reducing Dairy Imports

Villavicencio noted that Mexico’s dairy trade is in a 30% deficit at US$1.3 billion. Over 77% of dairy imports come from the United States, 9% from New Zealand, 4% from the Netherlands, and 12% from the rest of the world. "We do not import products with value already added. We bring in pure raw materials, and the value is added right here in Mexico through local processing,” Villavicencio stressed. 

Villavicencio noted that in 2024, Mexico exported US$780 million in dairy products, equivalent to 1.5 billion L of milk. He highlighted that infant formula accounted for over a third of this export value, with the United States as the main destination. "The products we make in Mexico have earned significant global recognition for their quality and food safety. This is a standard we have worked for many years to achieve,” he added. 

According to Villavicencio, recent federal initiatives like the Milk Self-Sufficiency Plan could help reduce the need to import dairy. He noted that President Sheinbaum's program aims to increase domestic milk production to 15 billion L annually by 2030. Reaching this target, an increase of 1.5 billion L from current levels, is intended to displace imports and meet the national industry's demand for more domestic production. "I want to recognize every member of the Mexican dairy chain who, starting before dawn each day, overcomes any challenge to put high-quality, innovative, and sustainable products on consumers' tables,” Villavicencio concluded.