Ukrainian milk is no longer competing with Poland, but with the United States and New Zealand
23 June 20:06
Ukrainian milk producers are no longer competing with regional players, but with the world’s leading exporters—the EU, the U.S., and New Zealand. This is stated in analytical reports by the Association of Milk Producers (AMP), prepared based on the results of industry discussions, according to
The AMU emphasizes that, based on the results of these discussions , five key lessons have been identified for the Ukrainian dairy sector, which will determine its competitiveness in the coming years.
The first is the transition to evaluating milk based on its dry matter content. As the association points out, global market trends show that the market is paying less and less for volume and increasingly more for fat, protein, and other components that add value in the production of cheese and dairy ingredients. This makes herd genetics, feed quality, and feeding technologies critically important.
The second lesson concerns production efficiency. The AVM notes that periods of high milk prices are temporary, whereas sustainability is ensured by enterprises with minimal production costs and consistently high product quality. Accordingly, the key factors are cost control, feed management, herd replacement, and labor productivity.
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The third area is technological modernization.
“Leading dairy nations are actively implementing robotic milking, automated feeding systems, animal health monitoring, and AI-based analytical tools,” notes the Association of Milk Producers.
According to their estimates, Ukrainian farms also need to move in this direction to compensate for labor shortages and improve efficiency.
The fourth aspect is the growing importance of environmental requirements. On a global scale, the carbon footprint of products, resource efficiency, and environmental production standards are becoming increasingly important. This is gradually becoming not only a market requirement but also a condition for access to investment and premium market segments.
The fifth lesson is the development of value-added dairy processing.
“The greatest added value is generated not in traditional dairy products, but in dairy ingredients: concentrated proteins, isolates, milk fats, and functional components for the food industry and infant formula,” emphasized Olena Zhupinas, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Dairy Association (UDA).
According to her, it is precisely this direction that allows for a transition from exporting raw materials to high-tech products.
As reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", Ukrainian dairy farms have reached the EU’s average productivity despite the war.
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