In the first half of 2024, Ukraine’s dairy industry increased its milk supply for processing despite facing wartime conditions and economic challenges. Industrial farms significantly boosted their raw milk deliveries, while household farm contributions fell, resulting in a higher share of industrial milk and an increase in extra-grade milk production.
Amidst ongoing wartime conditions, rising production costs, and an energy crisis, Ukraine’s dairy industry has demonstrated resilience by increasing milk supply for processing in the first half of 2024. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, industrial dairy farms delivered 2.9184 million tonnes of raw milk to processing plants, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
This growth is primarily attributed to a notable rise in milk supply from the industrial sector, which saw an 11% increase to 1.4874 million tonnes. Conversely, the contribution from household farms has declined significantly, with raw milk supplies falling to 125.4 thousand tonnes, a 34% decrease. Additionally, milk provided on a tolling basis and self-produced milk volumes both experienced reductions.
The shift towards industrial milk has resulted in its share of the total supply structure reaching 91.14%, up by 3.83% from January to June 2023. Furthermore, the volume of extra-grade raw milk increased by 20% to 883.82 thousand tonnes, now representing 54.8% of the total raw milk supplied for processing—a 7% rise compared to the previous year.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Ukraine’s dairy sector has managed to enhance productivity and maintain the quality and safety of its raw milk, reflecting a robust adaptation to the current economic and operational difficulties.
