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.
New Zealand Whey Production was 30.30 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 0% on 2022. New Zealand’s whey production remained relatively consistent between 2015 and 2023, reflecting the country’s globally significant dairy industry, strong milk production capacity, and highly developed dairy processing sector. According to the macro indicator data, New Zealand produced 29.21 thousand tonnes of whey in 2015, followed by 28.31 thousand tonnes in 2016 and an increase to 30.45 thousand tonnes in 2017.
New Zealand Whey Production moved from 29.21 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 30.30 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+3.7%), an average of +0.5% a year. The series high was 30.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the low 26.34 Thousand Tonnes in 2021.
The gap between the series high (2018) and low (2021) is 4.22 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +15% in 2022.
Among the 23 countries in this dataset, New Zealand ranks 14 for 2023, behind U.S. (654.3 Thousand Tonnes) and France (420.7 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 0.9% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 30.30 | 0% |
| 2022 | 30.30 | +15% |
| 2021 Trough | 26.34 | −10.7% |
| 2020 | 29.48 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 29.38 | −3.9% |
| 2018Peak | 30.56 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 30.45 | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 28.31 | −3.1% |
| 2015 | 29.21 | — |
Regional context
Whey Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. New Zealand 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 remained stable in 2018 at 30.56 thousand tonnes, before declining slightly to 29.38 thousand tonnes in 2019 and 29.48 thousand tonnes in 2020. In 2021, production decreased to 26.34 thousand tonnes, but recovered to 30.30 thousand tonnes in both 2022 and 2023. The overall trend indicates a stable whey production industry with limited annual fluctuations, supported by consistent dairy processing activities. New Zealand is one of the world’s leading dairy exporters, and its whey industry benefits from a highly efficient milk production system and advanced dairy manufacturing infrastructure. Whey generated from cheese and other dairy processing operations is utilized for producing whey protein concentrates, nutritional supplements, infant nutrition ingredients, and specialized food products. The country’s focus on innovation, sustainability, and value-added dairy products has strengthened its position in the global dairy ingredient market. Increasing international demand for protein-rich ingredients has encouraged further development of whey processing technologies. New Zealand dairy companies continue to improve resource utilization by converting whey into commercially valuable products rather than treating it as waste. Overall, New Zealand’s whey production sector demonstrates stability, efficiency, and strong export potential. Future growth opportunities are expected to arise from increasing demand for premium dairy ingredients, sustainable production practices, and continued advancements in whey processing and product diversification.
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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.
New Zealand Whey Production was 30.30 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 0% on 2022.
New Zealand Whey Production moved from 29.21 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 30.30 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+3.7%), an average of +0.5% a year. The series high was 30.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the low 26.34 Thousand Tonnes in 2021.
The highest value was 30.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the lowest was 26.34 Thousand Tonnes in 2021.
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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