The annual General Assembly of APRIL, held at the beginning of April 2026, brought together 31 companies representing over 80% of milk processing in Romania, alongside operators from related sectors and representatives of public authorities. The participation confirms the organization’s central role in representing the interests of the industry and provides a relevant picture of the direction in which the dairy sector is heading.

The context of the meeting is marked by multiple pressures on the agri-food chain. Sector data indicates that Romania produces approximately 4 million tons of milk annually, yet only around 1.7 million tons reach authorized processing units. This gap reflects both the fragmentation of primary production and the limitations in collection and integration into the industrial circuit.

At the same time, processors operate in an environment where production and logistics costs remain high, while access to domestic raw materials is fluctuating. Under these conditions, imports of raw milk and intermediate products continue to cover the deficit, estimated at approximately one quarter of the industry’s needs. This dependency directly affects the competitiveness of finished products on the domestic market.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, who presented the institutional perspective on the sector’s evolution and emphasized the need to support processing as a strategic link in the agri-food chain. His intervention focused primarily on the continuation of investment programs, facilitating access to financing, and measures to stimulate the consumption of dairy products, in the context of existing pressures on the industry.

During the APRIL General Assembly, the main issues affecting the functioning of the sector were discussed: cost evolution, the need for modernization investments, the effects of regulations, and the constant pressure on prices. At the same time, participants highlighted the impact of changes in consumption, as certain categories of dairy products are experiencing adjustments in demand.

The meeting confirms that Romania’s dairy industry operates within a fragile balance between production, processing, and the market. In this context, the ability of companies to adapt and coordination at the sector level remain key factors in maintaining competitiveness in the period ahead.