5 Largest Milk Producing Countries in 2021

1. India

Total production of milk by the country in 2019 (in thousands of tonnes): 187,633

Total production of milk by the country in 2019 (in thousands of tonnes): 187,978

Easily topping the list of the largest milk producing countries in 2021 is India. The second most populous country in the world, India topping the list should come as no surprise considering that a large percentage of the population lives in villages and rural areas, where agriculture is the only means of sustenance. India is also the biggest consumer of milk in the entire world, as well as the biggest dairy herd in the world, which numbers are over 300 million, or close to the population of the United States.

Despite producing more than 20% of the total global milk production, India still sees little exports in this industry, as most of the milk is locally consumed by the more than 1.2 billion people in the country. Annually, India produces more than 187 million tonnes of milk, even though it witnessed a small decrease year on year. Indian cuisine actually makes significant use of dairy products with popular dishes such as paneer present throughout the country, while milk and dairy products are also religiously significant in the country. Buffaloes are the biggest providers of milk in the country, followed by cows, and then goats. Because of its vast production, India has negligible imports for milk.

See also: 12 Countries With Highest Dairy Consumption and low osteoporosis rates and 11 countries that consume the most milk