MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay exports 70% of its milk production industrialized

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Uruguay exports 70% of its milk production, which represents 280 million US dollars of income annually, according to figures released this week by the Uruguayan government in Montevideo.

According to the release Uruguay is the world's second exporter in relation to its total production, since in 2006 shipments were equivalent to 1.4 billion litres of milk. Uruguay's milk production in the last two decades has been growing at an annual accumulated expansion of 5%. The Diary Coordinator of the Uruguayan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Manuel Marrero said that the strong development of the sector is based on close cooperation between the private sector and government, through a consulting commission. Integration and organization of the dairy chain, the institutional network and improving competitiveness so the industry adapts costs to the international market have been pivotal in building the industry, says Marrero. Marrero said that integration of the production chain was essential for the drafting of a new Dairy industry bill and Board Milk to help ensure the institutional framework, greater diversification, improving quality and added value, and promoting the competitive edge. The expert said that the international dairy market was going through a strong cycle and admitted Uruguay does not have the additional production to satisfy demand.