Lactose Consumption by Country
The United States fell from 181,253 tonnes in 2019 to 31,236 in 2023 — down 82.8 percent — while China added 84,872 tonnes to take the lactose lead at 29.3 percent of 597,604 tonnes across 130 reporters. Uruguay tops per person at 7.32 grams a day. FAO Supply Utilization Accounts record lactose available for human consumption, 2019-2023, in tonnes and grams per person per day.
China reported the largest 2023 supply at 175,066 tonnes, 3.76 times Türkiye at 46,588, while Uruguay recorded the highest per-capita figure at 7.32 grams per person per day. China opens the 2023 table at 175,066 tonnes (29.3 percent of 597,604), Türkiye at 46,588 and Mexico at 38,827. The United States and Italy follow at 31,236 and 27,369 tonnes. The top three hold 43.6 percent, the top five 53.4 percent and the top ten 71.8 percent. Per person, Uruguay leads at 7.32 grams a day — outside the volume ten from 9,051 tonnes — with New Zealand at 6.49 and Austria at 5.94 behind. For the 124 reporters with values in both 2019 and 2023, listed supply rose from 551,025 tonnes to 585,228, up 34,203 tonnes or 6.2 percent. Six reporters left with 354 tonnes between them, led by Cuba at 279.61 tonnes, while six entered with 12,376 — led by Poland at 12,149 tonnes. The United States fell 150,017 tonnes (down 82.8 percent) while China added 84,872 (up 94.1 percent); Türkiye added 46,581 from 6.62 tonnes and Venezuela 14,826 from 14.88, with Vietnam adding 14,617 (up 193.3 percent), South Africa 10,355 (up 165.3 percent), Pakistan 8,471 (up 86.9 percent) and Brazil 7,248 (up 44.5 percent). Across the 130 reporters with values in both 2022 and 2023, listed supply moved from 561,473 tonnes to 597,604, up 36,130 tonnes or 6.4 percent, with none entering or leaving. China added 49,789 tonnes (up 39.7 percent) and Venezuela 12,134 (up 448.2 percent), while the United States fell 21,930 (down 41.2 percent); the Philippines fell 7,244 (down 27.4 percent) and New Zealand 5,526 (down 31.1 percent), with Brazil adding 5,009 (up 27.0 percent), Poland 4,645 (up 61.9 percent) and Pakistan falling 4,078 (down 18.3 percent). The FAO item covers lactose as a specific food item. It is reported separately from other dairy and sweetener categories, so those categories are not added to the figures here. Food supply quantity captures what was available for human consumption during the reference year. The gram-per-day figure spreads that availability across the population on a daily basis. China recorded the largest 2023 listed lactose supply at 175,066 tonnes — 29.3 percent of a 597,604-tonne listed total across 130 reporters. Türkiye followed at 46,588 and Mexico at 38,827 tonnes. Uruguay had the highest per-capita figure at 7.32 grams per person per day. These figures measure food available for human consumption, not the amount actually eaten. Percentages take the earlier endpoint year as their base, across reporters present in both years. FAO Supply Utilization Accounts food supply quantity gives country totals in tonnes (element 5141) and per-person values in grams per capita per day (element 665) — for lactose, 2019 to 2023. The measure describes supply available for human consumption in the reference year rather than intake. Percentages never come from a zero base; zeros report zero, blanks report nothing. Behind the tables stand 137 reporters, reporters only — World, regional and China (aggregate) rows excluded, China denoting the China reporter. Tonnes appear as FAO published them, unrounded. The 2023 listed total of 597,604 tonnes sums the 130 reporters carrying a 2023 value. Source: FAO, FAOSTAT Supply Utilization Accounts, Lactose, food supply quantity (tonnes; g/capita/day), 2019-2023. Compiled by StatsGeo.Lactose Consumption
China Takes the Lead
China at 29.3 Percent; Uruguay First Per Person
Five Years Up 6.2 Percent as America Falls
2022 to 2023: Up 6.4 Percent as China Gains
Lactose Among Dairy Sugars
Lactose Consumption by Country: Quick Answer
Lactose Consumption by Country
#
1
90.19K
0.17
112.02K
0.22
117.07K
0.22
125.28K
0.24
175.07K
0.34
2
6.62
0
37.06
0
47.6K
1.5
45.63K
1.44
46.59K
1.46
3
33.52K
0.73
33.06K
0.71
37.4K
0.8
35.04K
0.75
38.83K
0.82
4
181.25K
1.47
132.41K
1.07
117.6K
0.95
53.17K
0.43
31.24K
0.25
5
30K
1.37
28.32K
1.29
27.95K
1.28
25.95K
1.19
27.37K
1.26
6
17.7K
0.68
22.78K
0.87
23.14K
0.88
23.02K
0.88
23.8K
0.91
7
16.29K
0.22
20.13K
0.26
20.74K
0.27
18.53K
0.24
23.53K
0.31
8
7.56K
0.21
9.68K
0.27
11.8K
0.33
22.62K
0.62
22.18K
0.61
9
23.18K
1.23
22.39K
1.18
23.11K
1.22
21.41K
1.13
20.82K
1.1
10
23.26K
7.18
13.46K
4.13
20.1K
6.14
18.75K
5.67
19.81K
5.94
11
22.28K
0.55
29.2K
0.71
19.17K
0.46
26.47K
0.64
19.23K
0.46
12
9.75K
0.12
13.96K
0.16
17.98K
0.21
22.3K
0.25
18.22K
0.2
13
6.27K
0.29
8.95K
0.4
10.66K
0.47
15.87K
0.7
16.62K
0.72
14
14.88
0
312.27
0.03
1.43K
0.14
2.71K
0.26
14.84K
1.44
15
12.08K
0.23
16.66K
0.31
17.48K
0.33
15.06K
0.28
12.82K
0.24
16
17.7K
9.72
17.71K
9.57
16.56K
8.88
17.78K
9.49
12.25K
6.49
17
-
-
-
-
300
0.02
7.5K
0.54
12.15K
0.86
18
7.63K
2.44
8.83K
2.8
7.73K
2.43
8.82K
2.75
9.93K
3.07
19
6.99K
5.63
6.65K
5.36
7.65K
6.17
8.5K
6.87
9.05K
7.32
20
3.48K
0.5
4.36K
0.62
3.68K
0.52
5.2K
0.73
4.92K
0.69
21
1.67K
0.15
1.08K
0.1
2.21K
0.19
1.65K
0.14
3.81K
0.31
22
5.72K
0.35
4.91K
0.3
5.09K
0.31
4.19K
0.25
3.71K
0.22
23
2.65K
0.07
4.25K
0.11
1.54K
0.04
3.22K
0.08
3.6K
0.09
24
1.96K
0.11
3.06K
0.17
4.12K
0.22
3.96K
0.21
2.23K
0.12
25
465.43
0.46
0
0
1.63K
1.6
1.75K
1.7
1.92K
1.84
26
1.89K
0.53
2.05K
0.58
1.71K
0.48
1.73K
0.49
1.87K
0.53
27
664.88
0.05
815.45
0.06
869.6
0.06
1.12K
0.08
1.76K
0.13
28
2.02K
0.59
2.33K
0.68
2.04K
0.6
2.15K
0.64
1.71K
0.51
29
1.19K
0.07
2.02K
0.12
1.78K
0.11
1.78K
0.12
1.43K
0.1
30
2.05K
0.13
2.35K
0.15
3.01K
0.18
1.56K
0.09
1.43K
0.08
31
934.48
0.01
1.33K
0.02
1.61K
0.02
595.96
0.01
1.24K
0.01
32
85.61
0.12
36.28
0.05
22.34
0.03
0
0
1.23K
1.79
33
1.36K
0.22
1.85K
0.29
2.3K
0.36
2.36K
0.36
1.1K
0.17
34
1.21K
0.1
986.97
0.08
1K
0.08
663.3
0.05
1.02K
0.08
35
56.74
0.07
6.45
0.01
15.66
0.02
505.62
0.61
887.18
1.05
36
750.49
0.11
832.83
0.12
598.52
0.09
882.19
0.13
765.02
0.11
37
275.1
0.06
402.56
0.09
452.57
0.1
539.57
0.12
720.25
0.16
38
267.53
0.07
0
0
214.66
0.06
589.22
0.15
714.01
0.18
39
474.9
0.33
584.4
0.4
600.23
0.42
610.64
0.43
691.63
0.49
40
237.82
0.06
306.69
0.08
210.19
0.05
331.25
0.08
544.46
0.13
41
359.54
0.14
238.72
0.09
253.78
0.1
319.24
0.13
463.52
0.19
42
543.69
0.05
1.08K
0.09
1.05K
0.09
780.64
0.06
442.63
0.04
43
76.75
0.16
81.82
0.17
84.84
0.17
863.5
1.75
400.25
0.8
44
331.77
0.08
383.1
0.1
320.59
0.08
298.57
0.07
389.45
0.09
45
211.32
0.01
240.97
0.01
261.84
0.01
238.31
0.01
362.32
0.02
46
329.4
0.03
144.49
0.01
237.17
0.02
152.53
0.01
332.19
0.03
47
372.61
0.06
329.17
0.05
615.77
0.1
433.63
0.07
275.82
0.04
48
141.8
0.06
92.36
0.04
145.79
0.06
280.73
0.12
247.64
0.11
49
-
-
392.92
0.02
146.93
0.01
51.88
0
224.99
0.01
50
229.38
0.24
95.87
0.1
76.14
0.07
93.66
0.09
198.57
0.18
51
171.44
0.06
161.38
0.06
172.18
0.06
167.31
0.06
186.99
0.07
52
99.12
0.04
103.27
0.04
108.35
0.04
184.27
0.07
177.47
0.07
53
340.49
0.06
198.17
0.03
471.48
0.08
1.1K
0.17
161.37
0.03
54
20.02
0
96.09
0.01
524.57
0.07
295
0.04
160.47
0.02
55
203.18
0.43
102.71
0.22
173.72
0.36
180.29
0.37
153.95
0.31
56
122
0.03
52.37
0.01
145.47
0.03
133.64
0.03
149.28
0.03
57
157.49
0.86
177.38
0.94
123.08
0.64
150.81
0.78
115.94
0.6
58
105.55
0.01
19.46
0
23.78
0
34.08
0
114.3
0.01
59
89.65
0.01
106.61
0.01
183.16
0.03
114.09
0.02
110.16
0.01
60
72.4
0.04
116.39
0.06
106.36
0.06
114.6
0.06
107.02
0.06
61
61.41
0
107.71
0.01
134.59
0.01
50.95
0
93.78
0.01
62
24.32
0
46.74
0
58.02
0
53.55
0
93.1
0.01
63
17.73
0.02
0.25
0
0.03
0
1.47
0
71.35
0.07
64
685.44
0.09
147.45
0.02
138.16
0.02
193.11
0.02
69.15
0.01
65
45.41
0
1.14K
0.03
748.41
0.02
91.41
0
64.66
0
66
37.23
0.02
55.83
0.03
80.06
0.05
27.39
0.02
63
0.03
67
56.74
0
259.86
0.02
33.59
0
95.11
0.01
58.05
0
68
1.25
0
0
0
2.07
0
1.52
0
51.12
0.05
69
41.74
0.01
20.05
0
28.93
0
10.34
0
48.28
0.01
70
14.63
0
34.74
0.01
14.02
0
17.45
0
46.53
0.01
71
98.83
0.04
25.41
0.01
41.23
0.02
27.11
0.01
42.63
0.02
72
14.5
0.01
53.63
0.02
37
0.01
54.75
0.02
39.8
0.01
73
0.03
0
0.05
0
0.05
0
40.81
0.28
37.48
0.26
74
29.99
0.06
0
0
18.08
0.03
24.05
0.04
32.95
0.06
75
371.34
0.03
29.82
0
26.45
0
18.5
0
27.54
0
76
64.01
0.06
52.92
0.05
51.22
0.05
49.05
0.05
27.07
0.02
77
35.77
0
24.28
0
10.08K
0.44
21.01
0
25.8
0
78
32.81
0.01
69.56
0.01
74.23
0.01
49.86
0.01
24.81
0
79
46.71
0.01
27.28
0.01
38.7
0.01
15.94
0
22.9
0.01
80
0
0
2.33
0
18.37
0.02
6.73
0.01
22.13
0.02
81
34.27
0.04
55.12
0.06
81.64
0.09
36.83
0.04
21.58
0.02
82
114.7
0.07
18
0.01
55
0.03
21.01
0.01
21.05
0.01
83
0.01
0
0
0
-
-
0
0
19.4
0.51
84
1.28
0
0.9
0
0.68
0
1.18
0
18.85
0
85
20.39
0.02
27.64
0.03
44.74
0.05
21.12
0.02
16.52
0.02
86
35.7
0
55.58
0
1.95K
0.04
2.68K
0.06
16.39
0
87
60
0.27
59.33
0.26
47.47
0.2
32.93
0.14
12.94
0.05
88
8.32
0
13.31
0
8.08
0
23.31
0
10.27
0
89
23.34
0.01
7.23
0
20.83
0.01
0
0
9.86
0
90
7.45
0.02
2.49
0.01
1.5
0
0.82
0
8.72
0.02
91
0
0
0
0
0.05
0
1.12
0
8
0
92
9.11
0.03
8.61
0.03
15.44
0.05
29.33
0.09
7.86
0.02
93
1.09
0
27.65
0.01
15.28
0
1.14
0
7.25
0
94
2.46K
0.93
1.4K
0.52
996.5
0.37
8.59
0
6.27
0
95
8.18
0.01
9.56
0.01
12.73
0.01
12.91
0.01
6.14
0
96
0.88
0
7.66
0.04
0.58
0
0.92
0
5.29
0.03
97
0.39
0
2.11
0
2.17
0
9.32
0.01
4.67
0
98
4.82
0.02
0.44
0
0
0
0.02
0
4.57
0.02
99
1.59
0
1.77
0
1.42
0
1.14
0
3.89
0
100
0.18
0
0.29
0
11
0.04
4.87
0.02
3.86
0.01
101
15.82
0.03
28.11
0.05
0
0
10.08
0.02
3.64
0.01
102
8.39
0
36.7
0
0.3
0
60.76
0.01
2.82
0
103
10.86
0
2.03
0
11.84
0
1.93
0
2.53
0
104
-
-
0
0
52.15
0
51.67
0
1.96
0
105
234.25
0.06
217.75
0.05
1.7
0
1.88
0
1.92
0
106
0
0
0
0
-
-
0
0
1.83
0
107
0
0
1.53
0
4.48
0.01
8.29
0.01
0.95
0
108
3.64
0
2.89
0
5.69
0
3.39
0
0.93
0
109
0.31
0.02
0.43
0.03
0.42
0.03
0.71
0.05
0.93
0.07
110
0.82
0.02
0.31
0.01
0.37
0.01
3.03
0.07
0.71
0.02
111
63.33
0
59.76
0
0
0
0.54
0
0.6
0
112
8.56
0.02
15.81
0.03
36.92
0.08
9.49
0.02
0.44
0
113
0
0
4.4
0.04
4.88
0.05
0.25
0
0.38
0
114
28.76
0.01
27.37
0.01
3.35
0
21.89
0.01
0.27
0
115
1.5
0
0
0
0.03
0
19.68
0.01
0.17
0
116
0.11
0
0
0
0
0
0.43
0
0.13
0
117
0.03
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.01
0
118
465.19
0.18
685.57
0.27
629.1
0.25
0
0
0
0
119
6.63K
0.48
1.03K
0.07
609.87
0.04
1.49K
0.11
0
0
120
0
0
0.79
0
1.94
0.01
0
0
0
0
121
0
0
0.41
0
1.19
0.01
0.81
0.01
0
0
122
0.65
0
11.44
0.01
14.06
0.01
0.05
0
0
0
123
0.04
0
1.31
0.03
2.87
0.07
0
0
0
0
124
0.77
0
0.42
0
1.74
0
270.81
0.14
0
0
125
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
126
-
-
49.21
2.88
0.54
0.03
2.91
0.17
0
0
127
0.02
0
0.49
0.01
0.17
0
0.02
0
0
0
128
11
0.04
0
0
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
129
-
-
25.2
0.11
0
0
0.78
0
0
0
130
-
-
-
-
1
0.27
0.5
0.14
0
0
131
279.61
0.07
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
132
-
-
3.61
0.01
37.71
0.15
-
-
-
-
133
1.44
0
5.12
0.02
2.2
0.01
-
-
-
-
134
0
0
0
0
0.13
0
-
-
-
-
135
72.45
0.03
48.09
0.02
0.06
0
-
-
-
-
136
0
0
0.01
0
0.01
0
-
-
-
-
137
0
0
0.5
0.01
0
0
-
-
-
-
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
When did China take the lead in lactose supply?
The United States reported 181,253 tonnes in 2019 and 31,236 in 2023, down 82.8 percent, while China rose from 90,194 to 175,066. The figures trace the handover without identifying what caused either move.
Why are Türkiye's and Venezuela's percentage increases so large?
Türkiye rose from 6.62 tonnes in 2019 to 46,588 in 2023 and Venezuela from 14.88 to 14,841. With such small starting values, the percentage increases become very large even though the absolute tonnage remains relatively small. Small-base percentages should be read with the base in mind.
How can Uruguay top per person from 9,051 tonnes?
Uruguay reported 9,051 tonnes against 7.32 grams a day, outside the volume ten and first per person. The per-capita figure expresses the reported food supply relative to population on a daily basis.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
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Updated: 03.10.2026https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/SCL
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