In Belgium, 4.35 billion litres of milk were produced in 2024, according to De Zondag, which is 34 million litres less than the previous year.
The Belgian Confederation of the Dairy Industry (BCZ) warns that a further decline could negatively impact Belgian dairy processors.
“Dropping milk production creates uncertainty for processors who have invested in their facilities to handle increasing volumes,” said Lien Callewaert, director and spokesperson for the federation.
In 2024, 244 dairy farmers stopped operations. In December, Belgium had 5,640 dairy farmers.
Most dairy farm managers (55%) are over the age of 55. Among them, 88% have no successors, largely due to the heavy administrative burden and legal uncertainty stemming from current environmental policies, such as nitrogen regulations, Callewaert noted.
Additionally, difficult access to agricultural land contributes to significant uncertainty.
