ISTANBUL: Trkiye collected 10.2 million tons of cow milk in 2023, the country's statistical authority announced on Wednesday.? Cow milk production rose 4.8% year-on-year last January-December, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). In the 12-month period, 1.5 million tons of drinking milk was produced, up 1.5% on an annual basis. Data also showed that cheese production from cow's milk was up 9.7% on a yearly basis to 771,067 tons. Trkiye also produced 1.2 million tons of yogurt, almost 829,548 tons of ayran - a salty yogurt drink - and 87,060 tons of butter. Dairy trade In the same period, Trkiye exported dairy products worth $390.6 million, down 36.06% on an annual basis, according to National Milk Council data. Meanwhile, the country's dairy imports jumped 56.2% to $130.7 million. Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and the US were the top destinations for exports of Turkish dairy products. Source: Anadolu Agency