Whey production refers to the total quantity of whey generated during the processing of milk into cheese, casein, yogurt, and other dairy products over a specified period, typically measured in metric tonnes.
Finland Whey Production was 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 6.9% on 2022. Finland’s whey production experienced a gradual decline between 2015 and 2023, reflecting changes in dairy processing volumes, market conditions, and the structure of the domestic dairy industry. According to the macro indicator data, Finland produced 29.06 thousand tonnes of whey in 2015, followed by a decrease to 27.31 thousand tonnes in 2016.
Finland Whey Production moved from 29.06 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (−24.9%), an average of −3.5% a year. The series high was 29.06 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the low 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023.
The gap between the series high (2015) and low (2023) is 7.25 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was −13% in 2020.
Among the 23 countries in this dataset, Finland ranks 18 for 2023, behind U.S. (654.3 Thousand Tonnes) and France (420.7 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 0.7% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Trough | 21.81 | −6.9% |
| 2022 | 23.42 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 22.78 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 22.76 | −13% |
| 2019 | 26.16 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 26.05 | −9% |
| 2017 | 28.62 | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 27.31 | −6% |
| 2015Peak | 29.06 | — |
Regional context
Whey Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. Finland is highlighted.
Data definition
Whey Production — Whey production refers to the total quantity of whey generated during the processing of milk into cheese, casein, yogurt, and other dairy products over a specified period, typically measured in metric tonnes. Whey is the liquid by-product remaining after milk has been curdled and strained and contains proteins, lactose, minerals, and water. This indicator measures the volume of whey produced by the dairy industry before it undergoes further processing into products such as whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey powder, lactose, or other dairy ingredients. It serves as an important indicator of dairy processing activity and the availability of whey as a raw material for food, beverage, nutrition, and animal feed industries.
The whey production indicator includes the total annual volume of whey produced from the processing of milk obtained from cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and other dairy animals. It covers both sweet whey and acid whey generated during the manufacture of cheese, casein, yogurt, and similar dairy products. The indicator also includes whey intended for further processing into whey powder, whey protein concentrates, whey protein isolates, lactose, demineralized whey, and other value-added dairy ingredients, regardless of whether the output is used domestically, exported, or supplied for industrial or animal feed applications. Production figures are generally compiled from official agricultural and dairy industry statistics.
The whey production indicator excludes raw milk production and the production volumes of finished dairy products such as cheese, butter, yogurt, cream, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, and casein. It also excludes production data for processed whey derivatives, including whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, lactose, and whey powder, when these are reported separately from raw whey production. In addition, the indicator does not include imports, exports, inventories, retail sales, market prices, consumption data, production capacity, or experimental and non-commercial whey production that falls outside official agricultural and dairy production statistics.
Whey Production — Whey production refers to the total quantity of whey generated during the processing of milk into cheese, casein, yogurt, and other dairy products over a specified period, typically measured in metric tonnes. Whey is the liquid by-product remaining after milk has been curdled and strained and contains proteins, lactose, minerals, and water. This indicator measures the volume of whey produced by the dairy industry before it undergoes further processing into products such as whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey powder, lactose, or other dairy ingredients. It serves as an important indicator of dairy processing activity and the availability of whey as a raw material for food, beverage, nutrition, and animal feed industries.
Production recovered slightly in 2017, reaching 28.62 thousand tonnes, but declined again in 2018 to 26.05 thousand tonnes. The production level remained relatively stable in 2019 at 26.16 thousand tonnes, before decreasing further to 22.76 thousand tonnes in 2020. In 2021, whey production recorded a marginal increase to 22.78 thousand tonnes, followed by a slight recovery to 23.42 thousand tonnes in 2022. However, production declined again in 2023, reaching the lowest level of the period at 21.81 thousand tonnes. Overall, Finnish whey production decreased from 29.06 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 21.81 thousand tonnes in 2023, representing a gradual reduction over the nine-year period. The Finnish whey industry is closely associated with the country’s dairy processing sector, particularly cheese and milk-based ingredient production. Finland has a well-established dairy industry known for high-quality production standards, advanced processing technologies, and efficient utilization of dairy by-products. Whey generated from dairy operations is utilized in various applications, including protein concentrates, nutritional products, food processing, and animal feed. Although production volumes have declined, Finland continues to focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of dairy processing operations. Increasing interest in functional foods and protein-based nutrition products provides opportunities for better utilization of available whey resources. The industry is also adopting innovative processing methods to maximize the value of whey and reduce waste generated during dairy manufacturing. Overall, Finland’s whey production trend indicates a mature but slightly declining market, with future growth depending on technological improvements, demand for value-added whey products, and developments in the broader European dairy sector.
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Whey production refers to the total quantity of whey generated during the processing of milk into cheese, casein, yogurt, and other dairy products over a specified period, typically measured in metric tonnes. Whey is the liquid by-product remaining after milk has been curdled and strained and contains proteins, lactose, minerals, and water. This indicator measures the volume of whey produced by the dairy industry before it undergoes further processing into products such as whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey powder, lactose, or other dairy ingredients. It serves as an important indicator of dairy processing activity and the availability of whey as a raw material for food, beverage, nutrition, and animal feed industries.
Finland Whey Production was 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 6.9% on 2022.
Finland Whey Production moved from 29.06 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (−24.9%), an average of −3.5% a year. The series high was 29.06 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the low 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023.
The highest value was 29.06 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 and the lowest was 21.81 Thousand Tonnes in 2023.
Included: The whey production indicator includes the total annual volume of whey produced from the processing of milk obtained from cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and other dairy animals. It covers both sweet whey and acid whey generated during the manufacture of cheese, casein, yogurt, and similar dairy products. The indicator also includes whey intended for further processing into whey powder, whey protein concentrates, whey protein isolates, lactose, demineralized whey, and other value-added dairy ingredients, regardless of whether the output is used domestically, exported, or supplied for industrial or animal feed applications. Production figures are generally compiled from official agricultural and dairy industry statistics. Excluded: The whey production indicator excludes raw milk production and the production volumes of finished dairy products such as cheese, butter, yogurt, cream, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, and casein. It also excludes production data for processed whey derivatives, including whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, lactose, and whey powder, when these are reported separately from raw whey production. In addition, the indicator does not include imports, exports, inventories, retail sales, market prices, consumption data, production capacity, or experimental and non-commercial whey production that falls outside official agricultural and dairy production statistics.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=table&overlay=download-data&Food=Whey&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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