Algeria surpasses Brazil as Uruguay’s leading dairy export market in 2025

ALGERIA – Algeria surpassed Brazil to become Uruguay’s largest dairy export market, absorbing over 35% of shipments, mainly whole milk powder, as Uruguay’s dairy exports hit a record US$965 million in 2025.

Algeria’s share of exports rose to 36% from 26%, with purchases totalling US$343 million, a 55% jump from a year earlier, the data showed.

In volume terms, Algeria bought 658 million liters of ME, up 32%.

Brazil lost share and fell to second place, with US$256 million in purchases after declines of 17% in value and 22% in volume, according to the data.

Mauritania recorded the strongest relative growth, with revenue up 97% and volumes up 79%. Russia and Chile reduced their share of total exports.

Uruguay’s export

The increase in Uruguay’s dairy exports was driven by higher volumes and improved prices. Export volumes rose 2% year on year, while the average export price per liter of milk equivalent climbed 11%.

Uruguay shipped 1.637 billion liters of milk equivalent (ME) to international markets, the highest level on record, the data showed. The average export price was US$0.59 per liter of ME, up from US$0.53 the previous year.

The result extended a decade-long growth trend. Over the past 10 years, dairy export revenue rose at a compounded annual rate of 5%, alongside a 1% annual increase in volume and a 5% rise in prices, according to the figures.

Uruguay exported dairy products to 82 destinations in 2025, but trade remained highly concentrated. Five markets, Algeria, Brazil, Mauritania, Chile and Russia, accounted for 70% of total export revenue.

Whole milk powder leads the export

Whole milk powder remained the sector’s main export product. In 2025, it generated US$669 million, representing 66% of the total, with 168,077 tonnes exported.

Revenue from whole milk powder rose 19%, driven by a 6% increase in volume and a 12% rise in the average price to $3,978 per tonne, according to the data.

Algeria accounted for 49% of whole milk powder sales, followed by Brazil with 25% and Mauritania with 5%.

Imports remain small; Argentina dominates supply

Uruguay remained a net exporter of dairy products. In 2025, dairy imports totalled US$29 million, equivalent to 3% of export value, and 21.2 million litres of ME, with volumes down 24%, the data showed.

Cheese was the main imported product, accounting for 33%, followed by ice cream at 20% and butter at 9%. Argentina supplied 71% of Uruguay’s dairy imports, followed by Brazil at 18% and the European Union at 9%, according to the data.

Monthly export performance was broadly stable in the first half of the year and accelerated in the second. The highest monthly export volume was recorded in October at 174 million liters of ME, while the low point came in March at 108 million.

Looking ahead, the sector faces a dual challenge: sustaining favorable international prices while diversifying markets and expanding higher value-added products in an increasingly competitive global market.

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