Production of fermented dairy products in Kazakhstan: cheese and cottage cheese are declining, while yogurt is growing

The output of low-fat cottage cheese decreased by 10%, amounting to 3.9 thousand tons, while the production of full-fat cottage cheese increased by 17.9% to 3.8 thousand tons. The production volume of hard, soft, and brined cheeses (excluding processed cheeses) fell by 26.5%, totaling 5.6 thousand tons. At the same time, processed cheeses showed moderate growth: up 3.4% to 704 tons.

Meanwhile, overall production of fermented dairy products, including yogurt and cultured milk, increased by 5%, reaching 83.8 thousand tons. This indicates sustained high demand for convenient and functional categories of fermented dairy goods.

On the other hand, significant declines were recorded in niche segments. Kumis production dropped by 46% to 368 tons, while shubat fell by 61.1% to 363 tons. The decline in traditional product output may be attributed to seasonal factors, reduced demand, or limited raw material availability.