Photo from UNIAN
Milk and dairy exports from Ukraine were estimated at US$250 million last year.
Ukraine was among the world's top ten dairy exporters in 2018.
"Today, the dairy sector is showing positive results, the quality of raw milk has improved. For the first time in recent years, Ukraine has entered the world's top ten leaders in terms of dairy exports," the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported with reference to Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Olena Kovaliova.
Read alsoRaw materials account for the lion's share of Ukrainian agri-exports in Jan-Sept – experts
According to the ministry's estimates, Ukrainian dairy sales in 2018 were estimated at almost UAH 57 billion, or US$2.04 billion. In particular, sales for exports totaled UAH 7 billion, or US$250 million, the ministry said.
Milk processing plants boosted purchases of premium raw milk. Namely, in the nine months of 2018, purchases of milk of extra and premium grade (Grade A) increased by 33.8% and by 7.8%, respectively. At the same time, purchases of Grade B milk decreased: by 8.9-15.1%, depending on its subgrade.
Grade B milk is used for butter, cheese, and other manufactured products.
As reported by UNIAN, according to the State Statistics Service, milk production in Ukraine in 2017 totaled 10.3 million tonnes, which was 0.5% less than in 2016. According to the FAO, Ukrainian milk producers in 2017 increased exports of dairy products by 82.4% compared with 2016, when 109,200 tonnes was exported to the amount of $158 million.