Algeria overtakes Brazil as top market for Uruguay dairy exports in 2025

Uruguay’s dairy industry closed 2025 with a record year in foreign trade, with exports totaling $965 million, up 13% from 2024, according to sector data.

The increase was driven by a combination of higher volumes and improved prices. Export volumes rose 2% year on year, while the average export price per liter of milk equivalent climbed 11%.

In physical terms, 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 $0.59 per liter of ME, up from $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.

Below is a historical overview of Uruguay’s powdered milk exports starting in January 2022. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Powdered Milk Exports | Uruguay | Jan 2022 – Jan 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Algeria takes the lead

The year’s biggest shift was the surge in Algeria as Uruguay’s top buyer. Algeria’s share of exports rose to 36% from 26%, with purchases totaling $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 $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.

Whole milk powder leads the export basket

Whole milk powder remained the sector’s main export product. In 2025, it generated $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 totaled $29 million, equivalent to 3% of export value, and 21.2 million liters 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.

Source: Canal 26

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