The 2013 year-end tally on U.S. dairy exports won’t be known until next month, but given the fact that exports through November were 17 percent higher than all of 2012, it’s destined to be another record-breaking year.

U.S. Dairy Export Council reported Jan. 8 that exports in the first 11 months of 2013 were valued at $6.1 billion and were on pace to approach $6.7 billion for all of 2013. That compares with exports worth $5.2 billion in 2012.

Exports of nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder, cheese, high-value whey protein concentrates and isolate, lactose, and fluid milk were all on pace for record highs in 2013. On a volume, 2013 is on track to be the fourth-consecutive record year and the ninth record year in the last 10 years, USDEC reported.

Strong global demand, domestic supply shortages in China and Russia and milk production shortages for major exporter New Zealand resulted in tight global dairy supplies in 2013, and U.S. prices were competitive with those of other exporting countries.