Spain: Cheese Exports May Rebound in 2021

In 2020, Spanish dairy industry sector continued to increase milk production and efficiency despite the COVID-19 pandemic and lower dairy consumption due to the closure of the hospitality sector. Conversely, Spanish household dairy consumption rose sharply and may continue to rise in 2021. As a result of the pandemic, the Spanish cheese sector faced difficulties marketing gourmet cheeses domestically and in export markets. The Spanish dairy industry expects Spanish cheese exports to rebound in 2021 following the March 2021 announcement temporarily suspending tariffs related to the U.S. – EU WTO aircraft case. Anticipating a domestic and global recovery of the hospitality sector in 2021, total Spanish dairy exports may continue trending upward.