The latest figures from HMRC show that cheese exports totalled 2,300 tonnes in the first quarter of 2021, up 17% on last year, driven by increasing demand in South Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said that the increased demand in both markets has come in a challenging quarter for dairy exports, with the new trade environment causing significant disruption to shipments, as the EU is the UK’s primary trading partner.

According to HMRC, cheese exports to New Zealand increased by 26% during the first quarter, with exports to Australia increasing by 3% over the same period.

Similarly, China imported 467 tonnes of cheese from the UK within this period. This is a sharp rise from the 64 tonnes imported during the same period last year. Exports to South Korea also increased by over 200%, a rise from 53 tonnes to 165.

AHDB reported that, overall, UK dairy exports for the first quarter were down as a result of “strong domestic demand and the shut-down of food services in our volume export markets.”

AHDB senior export manager for dairy Lucy Randolph said: “During a challenging period for our dairy exporters, it is good to see strong demand from both the Asian and Oceania markets.

“Countries such as South Korea and China are becoming more familiar with British cheese and like the high quality and taste that our products offer. We look forward to building on these impressive export figures and developing new markets for our dairy exporters.”