Nonetheless, the weight of imports on the overall market is not higher than 5%, despite importers' expectations to go beyond this mark.
"Finished dairy products boomed in 2007 in the wake of the elimination of custom duties after January 1, 2007. Importers then launched a diverse range of products on the Romanian market in various hypermarket networks, also expanding in full gear," stated Valeriu Steriu, chairman of the Romanian Dairy Business Owners' Association (APRIL).
French retailer Carrefour sells 25 imported cheese brands, three UHT brands, and five brands of butter. "In 2007, we introduced five new brands exclusively in the special cheese products category and no new products in either of the other two categories. Sales went up by 5% and reached 35% last year on these segments. In the first part of this year, we witnessed more moderate growth in certain categories," stated Andreea Mihai, marketing manager of the company.
In 2007, the major dairy importers in Romania included Delaco, Macromex, Nordic, Whiteland (for Hochland), Amagra, Parmalat, Friesland and Danone.
"The diversification of the type of products offered by importers on the Romanian market, doubled by the development of the hypermarket network led to a spectacular increase in imports last year, which we'll no longer witness this year in terms of dynamics. This year, imports will continue, particularly in terms of raw materials, but also in the case of some cheese specialties," explains Steriu.
He says domestic producers embarked on portfolio diversification campaigns and this will balance the domestic, as well as the export supply, especially that which goes to the EU countries.
"A reason behind the spectacular surge in imports is paradoxically related to the rising imports of unprocessed milk and concentrated milk, required to cover the domestic milk shortage that emerged in the wake of the gradual rallying to European standards," says Steriu.
He added that this upward trend of imported raw materials was influenced by the price of milk produced in the EU.
Thus, amid the significant increase in the price of milk produced in the EU in the autumn of 207 compared with the price of domestic unprocessed milk, dairy imports shrank in the last quarter of 2007. At present, there is stagnation, but amid the falling price of milk across Europe and the rising price domestically, imports are sure to resume their growth.
At present, the biggest domestic dairy producers are Friesland, Danone, Hochland, Albalact and Covalact.
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