Consumption of Norwegian milk increased sharply during the pandemic

Before the corona pandemic, milk production in Norway was too high, and the state bought out the quotas for 400 farmers. Now, there isn’t enough milk.

As milk consumption has increased during the pandemic, Norwegian cows must now be milked twelve months a year instead of the usual ten, according to Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). 

Before the coronavirus hit the world, milk consumption in Norway was declining, and the state had to intervene to reduce production. 

The solution was to buy out the milk quotas of 400 farmers and pay them to stop milk production.

But during the corona outbreak, the milk consumption trend reversed. 

“It has been a demanding situation. We expected to sell less milk in 2020 than in 2019, and therefore we reduced production. That was not the case,” Executive Vice President Johnny Ødegård in Tine told NRK.

He believes Norwegian consumers, to a greater extent, opted for traditional foods during the pandemic.

To compensate for the increased consumption, the farmers have to milk the cows that are left all year, instead of the usual ten months. 

Now, there is more work and less free time at the dairies.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today