High-purity lactose exports from the United States: data, top buyers and prices
Exports of high-purity lactose by the United States reached $399.6 million in 2024 (392.9 thousand tonnes). That makes it the largest exporter of this product worldwide, out of 80 countries. Value fell 19% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2022, at $544.2 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $399.6M | 392.9K t |
| 2023 | $493.3M | 430.0K t |
| 2022 | $544.2M | 393.9K t |
| 2021 | $430.7M | 341.8K t |
| 2020 | $360.5M | 344.8K t |
| 2019 | $332.3M | 331.1K t |
| 2018 | $279.1M | 329.7K t |
| 2017 | $318.4M | 316.1K t |
Where the United States exports high-purity lactose to
The largest buyer markets were China (22%), New Zealand (15%), Mexico (10%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 48%. Among the main buyer markets, Uruguay grew fastest (+52% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $89.4M | 22% |
| New Zealand | $58.6M | 15% |
| Mexico | $41.9M | 11% |
| Japan | $37.1M | 9.3% |
| Indonesia | $18.7M | 4.7% |
| Thailand | $14.1M | 3.5% |
| Uruguay | $13.6M | 3.4% |
| Singapore | $13.5M | 3.4% |
| India | $11.5M | 2.9% |
| Brazil | $10.7M | 2.7% |
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.02 per kg, close to the world average of $1.24.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
High-purity lactose imports to the United States
In 2024, the United States imported high-purity lactose worth $9.4 million (2.7 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. Most of the value came from Netherlands (42%), Germany (33%), New Zealand (17%). Among the main suppliers, New Zealand grew fastest (+267% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $4.0M | 42% |
| Germany | $3.1M | 33% |
| New Zealand | $1.6M | 17% |
| Canada | $284K | 3% |
| Denmark | $154K | 1.6% |
| France | $93K | 1% |
| Israel | $89K | 1% |
| India | $62K | 0.7% |
| Dominican Republic | $17K | 0.2% |
| Ecuador | $16K | 0.2% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United States?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 1702.11: Sugars: lactose and lactose syrup, containing by weight 99% or more lactose, expressed as anhydrous lactose, calculated on the dry matter.
Common questions
What is the value of high-purity lactose exported by the United States?
The United States exported high-purity lactose worth $399.6 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 392.9 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 1st of 80 countries worldwide, with 30% of world exports. The value was down 19% on 2023.
Which countries buy high-purity lactose from the United States?
China was the largest buyer with 22% of the value ($89.4 million), followed by New Zealand (15%) and Mexico (10%). The top three together account for 48%, out of 84 buyer countries in total. Uruguay grew fastest among the top ten, up 52% on the year.
What is the average export price of high-purity lactose per kg?
The average declared export value was about $1.02 per kg in 2024, 18% below the world average of $1.24 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have exports of high-purity lactose from the United States changed since 2017?
Exports went from $318.4 million in 2017 to $399.6 million in 2024, an increase of 26%. The peak was 2022 at $544.2 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does the United States also import high-purity lactose?
Yes. The United States imported $9.4 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from the Netherlands, Germany and New Zealand. On balance the United States is a net exporter of this product, by about $390.2 million a year.
What is the HS code for high-purity lactose?
The HS code for high-purity lactose is subheading 1702.11. It sits in HS chapter 17 (sugars and sugar confectionery). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 1702 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United States with shipment-level records, updated weekly, so you can see importers and exporters by name with dates, quantities and declared values. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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