Milk imports are growing faster than exports – the deficit is deepening

Main points

• In March 2026, Ukraine's total foreign trade in dairy products amounted to US$57.63 million, with imports of US$32.5 million and exports of US$25.1 million.
• The negative balance of trade in dairy products deepened to minus $7.4 million, with noticeable changes in the structure of exports, where the share of cheeses increased to 24% and whey in imports increased to 5.6%.

Milk exports are growing / Photo Freepik

Ukraine's foreign trade in dairy products increased in March, but the negative balance continues to widen. Imports are outstripping exports, which creates additional pressure on the market.

Trade is growing, but the balance is deteriorating

In March 2026, the total volume of foreign trade in dairy products reached 57.63 million US dollars, according to the “Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine”. This is 16.5% more than in February.

Dairy exports also showed positive dynamics – 25.1 million USD, which is 15% more in monthly terms and 39% more than in January. At the same time, imports grew even faster: in March they reached 32.5 million USD, which is 17% more than in February and 45% more than in January.

As a result, the negative trade balance deepened to minus 7.4 million USD. For comparison, in February this figure was minus 5.8 million USD, and in January – minus 4.4 million USD.

The structure of exports and imports is changing

There have been notable changes in the structure of dairy exports. The share of cheeses of all types has increased from 19% to 24%, while the share of butter and other dairy fats has decreased from 34% to 22%.

Currently, the largest share of exports is formed by powdered and condensed milk – 35%, followed by cheeses (24%) and butter with fats (22%).

There were no significant changes in the structure of imports. The main part, as before, is cheese – about 79.2%, although their share has decreased slightly. On the other hand, the share of whey has increased significantly – from 1% to 5.6%.

Interesting ! Experts note that such dynamics indicate structural changes in the market and increased dependence on imported products.

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