Based on the results of the 1st half of 2026, Ukraine imported 23.4 thousand tons of cheeses for the amount of 141.3 million US dollars. This is more than 20% more than in the same period last year. In terms of milk, this volume is equivalent to almost 250 thousand tons of raw milk.
According to SMPU estimates, in the 1st half of 2026, against the background of a rapid slump in exports and growth in imports, 133 thousand tons of raw milk put pressure on the domestic market. If over the last three years cheese imports had not grown by almost 50%, the Ukrainian dairy market would have been significantly more balanced, and milk producers today would not suffer such substantial losses due to low procurement prices.
The AMP is not opposed to imports. But stands for fair competition and strategic steps to protect the dairy industry.
Ukrainian producers compete not only with European companies. They compete with the result of more than two decades of systemic state support for the dairy sector in EU countries, which allowed European processors to invest in modernization, productivity growth, and export development.
That is why Ukraine needs a consistent state policy to support the development of the milk processing industry. Without investments in processing, the country risks losing not only the production of high value-added products, but also a significant portion of modern dairy farms.
And this is no longer just a matter of economics. A commercial dairy farm is one of the largest employers in rural areas, a taxpayer, and the foundation for the development of many communities. Preserving the competitiveness of the Ukrainian dairy sector is an investment in food security, employment, and the future of the Ukrainian countryside.
Press service of the Association of Milk Producers
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