"虽然中国人的乳糖耐受性很差，但是如今中国人消费了世界上四分之一以上的牛奶。"香港树仁大学社 会学系副教授、香港中文大学人类学博士麦秀华在她的著作《牛奶狂潮：身体、科学与希望》中试图解 剖这个饮食结构发生巨大变化的典型范例。 过去人们普遍接受的观点是，现代化、生活方式西化以及牛奶在促进儿童生长方面的营养学意义，是中 国牛奶需求增长的主要原因。而麦秀华着力于分析常被忽略的一些因素：二战后的世界食物体系、政府 的作用、现代生活的医学化以及中国原有的乳制品文化。 2010年2月 27日，深圳光明农科大观园，晨光奶牛示范场的奶牛雕塑。视觉中国 图 二战后美国等发达国家以粮食援助的形式向亚洲和许多第三世界国家提供粮食出口补贴，改变了这些国 家人民的饮食方式，创造了新的饮食文化，日本的"拉面"就是一个典型的例子，来自美国援助的大量廉 价小麦面粉。麦秀华认为，20世纪80年代欧洲通过粮食援助计划向中国出口牛奶，为后来的"牛奶变 革"埋下伏笔；而雀巢等跨国乳品公司通过在中国建立生产工厂、积极开展营销活动，进一步推动了牛 奶及奶制品在东亚地区大肆扩张，深入人心。 政府的角色则在于支持乳业建设项目，体现在土地改革和乳业现代化、财 ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the gap between recommended dairy consumption and actual consumption in China, with only 35.6% of the population meeting the daily intake guideline of 300 milliliters of dairy products [1][3][6] - Despite a steady increase in milk production, the dairy industry faces challenges such as low consumer awareness and changing dietary habits, leading to a decline in profits for major dairy companies [12][14][18] Industry Overview - China's milk production reached 4,197 million tons in 2023, marking a 6.7% year-on-year increase, although this is still lower than countries like India and the USA [12][14] - The average per capita dairy consumption in China is about 42 kilograms, which is one-third of the world average and significantly lower than Japan's consumption [6][10] Consumer Behavior - A significant portion of the population, over 1 billion people, has not developed a habit of drinking milk, with only 16.7 grams consumed daily by the 18-59 age group, far below the recommended levels [6][10] - Cultural perceptions of milk as a supplement for the elderly or children contribute to low consumption rates, with many young consumers preferring sugary beverages [10][12] Financial Performance of Dairy Companies - Major dairy companies like Yili and Mengniu reported significant profit declines in 2024, with Yili's net profit down by 18.94% and Mengniu's nearly halved [14][15] - The financial struggles are attributed to economic slowdown, low consumer confidence, and an imbalance in raw milk supply and demand [14][18] Pricing and Market Dynamics - The average price of milk in China is higher than in many other countries, influenced by high production costs and market dynamics [12][18] - There has been a noticeable drop in retail prices for liquid milk products, with promotions leading to lower prices for premium brands [18]