There has been a surge in dairy imports to China, even though cheese and other dairy products are not part of the traditional Chinese diet.
According to European Commission data, Europe’s cheese exports to China in the first 11 months of this year was 24 per cent higher by volume than for the whole of 2018, amounting to more than 18,600 tonnes.
Exports of butter to China have grown at 36 per cent.
Cheese has been alien to the diet in China, where research shows that many people are lactose intolerant. But a 2018 report by China’s National Institute for Nutrition and Health found that Chinese citizens should be encouraged to consume dairy products to improve their intake of calcium and proteins.