Ukraine boost dairy exports – analysts
MOSCOW. June 24 (Interfax) – Ukraine increased dairy exports in May 2024 month-on-month and year-on-year even despite low prices on the world market, Ukrainian media said, citing the Infagro information and analytical agency.
The rise is due to a considerable increase in processing against the backdrop of a far weaker growth of domestic sales than last year, the agency’s experts said. Among Ukraine’s main commodity items, butter and cheese products saw the lowest exports. At the same time, exports of spreads, casein and whey powder increased markedly in May 2024 year-on-year.
Meanwhile, imports of dairy products, such as butter, rennet cheese and processed cheese, declined in May 2024. Cheese imports stopped growing contrary to expectations, due to a tendency toward higher prices for milk and dairy products in Europe, including Poland, which is the main supplier of this product to the Ukrainian market, the analysts said.
“Dairy exports will grow further in June, but imports will apparently decrease,” Infagro said.
As reported, Ukraine raised dairy exports by more than 40% in January-March 2024, but imports dropped. Nevertheless, analysts called on domestic producers to pursue a sensible pricing policy in order not to lose their positions on the internal market.
