Irish companies fail to make global dairy top flight

NO Irish company has made it into the global dairy top-20 ranking compiled by Rabobank Group.

This year’s ranking reflects the advance of non-western countries in the dairy industry, with Yili joining another Chinese company, Mengniu, in the top 20 for 2009 sales.

China’s dairy consumption of 20 litres per person per year compares with 300 litres of dairy products consumed per person per year in the Netherlands, but the Chinese market is expected to grow along the same lines as Japan or South Korea, from zero levels five years ago to about 50 litres.