Ukraine's Dairy Export Boom Amidst Conflict

Last year, Ukraine exported 118,000 tons of dairy products, outperforming imports by nearly 100%. The export revenue reached $296.8 million, a 16% increase from 2023 and a 20% rise from 2021.

Powdered and condensed milk dominated the export categories, accounting for 25%, while cheeses made up 18%. In contrast, Ukraine imported 60,270 tons of dairy products valued at $290 million, with cheeses comprising 78% of these imports. Despite the ongoing war, the industrial cattle sector experienced a 1% increase in the number of cows.

The Poltava, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, and Vinnytsia regions together hold 51% of Ukraine's industrial cattle population, leading in numbers with 52,700, 44,000, 35,400, 34,000, and 31,500 head respectively. Noteworthy growth in industrial cattle populations was seen in the Mykolaiv region with a 14% increase and the Ternopil region with a 10% rise.

Over 90% of raw milk processed is sourced from industrial farms. Currently, 125 dairy farms in Ukraine are either under construction or being modernized.