Decrease in the export of dairy products from Ukraine in October 2024

In October 2024, Ukraine recorded a decrease in the volume of exports of dairy products, which was the result of a shortage of raw milk and a decrease in butter prices in the European Union. According to preliminary data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (SSU), the export value of dairy products in October was 25.4 million US dollars, and the volume of deliveries was 9.10 thousand tons. This is a 5% decrease compared to September 2024, although export volumes increased by 3% compared to October 2023.

In monetary terms, the export of dairy products showed a slight increase: compared to September 2024, revenue increased by 1%, and compared to October last year - by 29%. As a result, the total revenue from the export of dairy products since the beginning of the year amounted to 250.14 million dollars. In total, from January to October 2024, Ukraine exported 101.64 thousand tons of dairy products, which is 10% more than in the same period of 2023. Cash income for this period increased by 13%.

Despite the decrease in the volume of deliveries, dairy exports retain important positions in the international market. The largest share in the export of dairy products in October was butter and cheese, which each accounted for 24% of the total value of supplies. Milk and condensed cream accounted for 21%, and casein and caseinates accounted for 13%. These categories of dairy products remain the main export products for Ukraine.

The reduction in the supply of dairy products is caused by a number of factors, the main ones being the shortage of raw materials in the domestic market and changes in the European Union market. In particular, the decrease in butter prices in EU countries had a negative impact on the demand for Ukrainian products. This, in turn, led to a decrease in export rates, despite a certain increase in volumes compared to last year.

Ukrainian dairy producers are facing difficulties in the domestic market due to delays in the supply of raw milk and price instability. This requires companies to adapt to new conditions and possible changes in production capacity. The lack of sufficient raw materials also affects processing enterprises, which are often forced to work with limited milk stocks.

It is expected that the situation with the export of dairy products may remain difficult in the coming months, depending on changes in the domestic demand for milk and the global price situation for plant and animal products. Ukrainian exporters hope for stabilization of the market and a gradual recovery of export volumes by the end of the year, which will allow maintaining the competitiveness of products on international markets.