Imported cheese for children attracts attention at a food and beverage exhibition in Shanghai on Nov 13, 2018. [Photo/IC]

Cheese is set to become a new growth point for the dairy sector in China, fueled by the expansion of Western food and ongoing consumption upgrade trends in the country.

Last year, China imported 108,300 metric tons of cheese, 2.8 times higher than the import volume recorded in 2011 according to the China Dairy Industry Association.

"Major dairy producers in China should pay attention to the development of cheese products and grab opportunities to grow," said Song Kungang, honorary chairman of the China Dairy Industry Association.

"In fact, China has rich resources for special dairy products, we can develop cheese based on raw materials of goat, buffalo and yak milk. They have high growth potential," Song said.

In 2017, the per-capita consumption of cheese in China was 0.1 kg a year, while it was 2.4 kg in Japan, 2.8 kg in South Korea and 18.6 kg in Europe, data from the association showed.