Between 1992 and February 2025, the Azores produced more than 2.82 billion liters of milk and 856.3 million kilograms of cow’s milk cheese, with São Miguel playing a central role in this activity.
For over 30 years, the Azorean dairy industry has had a significant impact on the local economy. An analysis of data from the Azores Regional Statistics Service (SREA) reveals the evolution of this industry, highlighting the most significant products.

Cow’s milk for public consumption
Over the last three decades, cow’s milk for public consumption has been the most produced product in terms of volume in the Azores, with a total of 2.821 billion liters.
São Miguel plays a central role in this sector, with 2.172 billion liters, equivalent to 77% of regional production. The island’s best years occurred between 2015 and 2020, with 2018 being the highlight, when 126,274,979 liters were produced – the highest figure since 1992. From 2021 onwards, production began to fall.
Terceira is still the second-largest producer, with 635.3 million liters, having peaked in 2013 at 44,731,883 liters. Faial stands out as the third-largest producer, with 9 million liters, reaching its annual maximum in 1992, at 996,465 liters.
Islands such as Graciosa (1,384,725 liters), São Jorge (2,175,066 liters), Pico (925,469 liters), and Flores (490,871 liters) maintained consistent records, albeit on a smaller scale.

Packaged cream
The production of packaged cream is not very representative in terms of overall volume.
Only São Miguel and Terceira have systematic records, with the former accounting for 6,228,091 kilograms – almost 83% of the regional total of 7,511,770 kilograms.
Production peaked in São Miguel in 2006, with 569,819 kilograms, closely followed by 2005 and 2007.

Powdered Milk
With 584 million kilograms produced in the Azores since 1992, powdered milk plays an important role in the regional economy. São Miguel once again leads the way with 415,458,696 kilograms, with its highest production year in 2013, with 18,031,968 kilograms. In second place is Terceira, with 168.9 million kilograms, reaching its peak in 2018 at 7,620,425 kilograms.

Butter
Butter is one of the most emblematic products of Azorean production, with almost 282.8 million kilograms recorded in the period. São Miguel leads the way with 169,889,780 kilograms. The year with the highest production was 2020, at 7,822,432 kilograms. Terceira produced 162.2 million kilograms, with 2016 and 2017 standing out, as both years had figures above 1.2 million kilograms.
Faial Island (4,179,762 kilograms), Graciosa (1,406,402 kilograms), and Pico (1,138,140 kilograms) are regular producers, but to a lesser extent. Flores recorded less than 31,551 kilograms over a 33-year period.

Cow’s milk cheese
Cheese is one of the most emblematic products of the Azorean industry. Since 1992, 856.3 million kilograms of cow’s milk cheese have been produced, with São Miguel leading the way with a production of 527.7 million kilograms of cheese. 2019 was the most productive year for the island, with more than 23.6 million kilograms of cheese produced, the highest volume recorded to date. Terceira, for its part, contributed 162.2 million kilograms, with a notable increase between 2003 and 2005, when it reached annual averages of over 7 million kilograms.
São Jorge, known for its cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), produced 80.6 million kilograms, with 2012 being the record year at 2,918,554 kilograms. Graciosa exceeded 20.1 million kilograms, and Faial produced 40.5 million kilograms, maintaining consistent production over the decades.
Islands such as Santa Maria (27,674 kilograms), Flores (2,673,936 kilograms), Pico (22,258,425 kilograms), and Corvo (55,522 kilograms) also recorded production.

Yogurt
Yogurt production in the Azores totaled 10.1 million kilograms, with the island of São Miguel again leading the way (8.9 million kilograms). The highest production was recorded in 2023, at 743,842 kilograms. Terceira came in second with 1.06 million kilograms.

Filipe Torres is a journalist with Correio dos Açores, and Natalino Viveiros is the director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.