Brussels / Dairy Olympics 2025 — The world could face a staggering 30 million-ton gap between the supply and demand of milk by the year 2030, according to new estimates from the International Dairy Federation (IDF).
The warning was delivered by Laurence Rycken, Director General of IDF (Belgium), during her address at the 2025 Dairy Olympics. Speaking to a global audience of industry leaders, Rycken emphasized the urgent need for strategic action to address the widening milk deficit.
“This projected shortfall is not just a challenge for producers—it’s a wake-up call for the entire dairy value chain,” said Rycken.
“We must collectively rethink supply resilience, invest in sustainable production, and reduce structural inefficiencies.”
The IDF’s estimates highlight growing concerns over the sustainability of global milk production amid increasing demand, particularly in emerging economies. Factors such as climate change, land pressure, and changing dietary preferences are putting additional strain on traditional dairy systems.
The news comes as global dairy stakeholders converge at events like the Dairy Olympics, where topics such as supply-chain resilience, nutrition security, and the future of farmer-centric models are front and center.
With industry momentum building around sustainability, digitization, and precision farming, the IDF’s announcement adds urgency to the conversation on how the world will meet its future dairy needs.
