BEIJING — China's dairy output surged almost 50 percent over the past decade, according to the country's market watchdog.

Dairy production stood at 26.87 million tons in 2018, and per capita consumption reached 34.3 kg, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The quality of dairy products has improved over the past few years, with the rate of products failing to meet standards falling to 0.3 percent in 2018, down from 1.6 percent in 2014.

Chinese authorities have taken a string of measures to ensure milk product quality, including improving regulations and industry standards and tightening supervision.

Spot checks are conducted every month, and results are also announced monthly.

China has a total of 762 dairy manufacturers, according to official data.