Rising to a series high
Thailand Whey Production moved from 0 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023. The series high was 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 0 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
What Thailand Whey Production shows
Thailand Whey Production was 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.3% on 2022. Thailand’s whey production remained absent during most of the 2015–2021 period but showed initial development in 2022 and 2023, indicating the gradual emergence of whey processing activities within the country’s dairy sector.
A 100% peak-to-trough swing
The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2015) is 1.91 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +0.3% in 2023.
Ranks 23 of 23 countries covered
Among the 23 countries in this dataset, Thailand ranks 23 for 2023, behind U.S. (654.3 Thousand Tonnes) and France (420.7 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 0.1% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Thailand Whey Production by year
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023Peak | 1.91 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 1.90 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | — |
| 2015 Trough | 0 | — |
Regional context
How Thailand compares in Asia
Whey Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. Thailand is highlighted.
1Turkey80.88
2India6.98
3Thailand1.91
Data definition
Inclusions and exclusions
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.
About this indicator
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.
According to the macro indicator data, Thailand recorded 0.00 thousand tonnes of whey production from 2015 to 2021, followed by an increase to 1.90 thousand tonnes in 2022 and 1.91 thousand tonnes in 2023. The appearance of production in recent years reflects growing interest in dairy processing, functional food ingredients, and improved utilization of dairy by-products. Thailand’s dairy industry has traditionally focused on milk production and consumer dairy products, but increasing demand for protein-rich nutrition products has encouraged greater attention toward whey processing. Whey generated from cheese and dairy manufacturing can be utilized in protein beverages, nutritional supplements, food formulations, and animal feed applications. The development of whey production capacity in Thailand indicates progress toward better resource utilization and diversification of the dairy value chain. The country’s expanding health and wellness market, increasing fitness trends, and rising demand for functional foods provide opportunities for future whey industry growth. However, compared with major global whey-producing countries, Thailand’s production scale remains limited due to smaller domestic whey processing infrastructure. Future expansion will depend on investment in dairy processing facilities, adoption of advanced whey separation technologies, and stronger integration with regional dairy markets. Overall, Thailand’s whey industry is at an early development stage but demonstrates potential for growth as consumer demand for high-protein products and sustainable dairy ingredients continues to increase.
- Indicator
- Whey Production
- Country
- Thailand
- Region
- Asia
- Unit
- Thousand Tonnes
- Coverage
- 2015–2023, annual
- Category
- Agriculture
- Last updated
- July 2026
- Source
- Our World in Data
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Frequently asked questions
What is Thailand 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.
What was Thailand Whey Production in 2023?
Thailand Whey Production was 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.3% on 2022.
How has Thailand Whey Production changed between 2015 and 2023?
Thailand Whey Production moved from 0 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023. The series high was 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 0 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
Which year had the highest and lowest Thailand Whey Production?
The highest value was 1.91 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the lowest was 0 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
What does the Thailand Whey Production data include and exclude?
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.
Where does the Thailand Whey Production data come from?
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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