Irish, Norwegians Are Top Guzzlers : American Consumption of Milk Drops

No matter how much milk Americans drink, there are millions of Europeans and New Zealanders who keep guzzling more.

According to projections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average consumption of fluid milk by Americans next year may be 110.5 kilograms, down slightly from this year. That’s about 28.3 gallons per person, allowing for 3.9 kilograms for each gallon.

The 1988 average per capita for the 12-nation European Economic Community is expected to be 89.7 kilograms of milk, or about 23 gallons. However, within the bloc are several world-class milk guzzlers: Ireland, 173.1 kilos; Netherlands, 131.5; Denmark, 124.8, and the United Kingdom, 120.8.

Countries that pull down the EEC average include Belgium and Luxembourg, 59.5 kilograms of milk each; France, 89.9; West Germany, 58; Greece, 88.3; Italy, 80.2; Portugal, 60.8, and Spain, 94.8.

But some of the other West European countries are the real elbow benders when it comes to per capita milk consumption. Norway leads at 207.6 kilograms of milk projected in 1988, more than 53 gallons per person. Others include Austria, 161.1 kilos; Finland, 166.7; Sweden, 163.2, and Switzerland, 114.4.

In New Zealand, one of the world’s major dairy producers, per capita milk consumption is projected at 144.8 kilograms, or about 37 gallons, next year.

The Soviet Union, which is the world’s leading milk producer, was projected at a per capita consumption of 93.6 kilograms, or about 24 gallons, in 1988.

Some of the smallest per capita levels in the countries listed are in Asia. Milk consumption in China next year was projected at 3 kilograms per person, or slightly more than three quarts.

The per capita milk consumption figures include only fluid milk and do not take into account butter, nonfat dry milk and other manufactured products. Also, as with most USDA per capita statistics, they are averages derived from production and population figures.

In terms of overall milk output, the 38 countries listed are expected to produce around 421.7 million metric tons in 1988, up from 419.2 million tons this year but still shy of the 1986 record of 424.2 million tons.

A metric ton is about 2,205 pounds and is the equivalent of about 256 gallons of milk, which weighs 8.6 pounds per gallon. Total milk production of the 38 countries next year, therefore, would be close to 108 billion gallons.

The Soviet Union, as the biggest single producer, is expected to turn out 104.9 million tons of milk in 1988, or about 26.9 billion gallons.

The United States, the second-largest producer, was projected at 65.3 million tons of milk, about 16.7 billion gallons.

But the collective production of the EEC may be about 107.2 million tons of milk in 1988, nearly 27.4 billion gallons, with France and West Germany accounting for almost half.

Other large milk producers include: India, projected at 18.5 million tons in 1988; Poland and United Kingdom, each about 15 million; Brazil and the Netherlands, each about 11.5 million; Mexico, 9.7 million; East Germany, 9.45 million, and Canada and New Zealand, each 8 million.