In the first half of August 2025, Ukraine increased its imports of dairy products to $14.7 million, the highest figure since the beginning of the year for similar periods. The previous record was set in the first half of March, six months ago, at $13.2 million, according to the Ukrainian Dairy Industry Association (UDIA).
The industry association noted that in monetary terms, imports increased by 30% compared to the first half of July and almost one and a half times compared to the first half of June.
In addition, in real terms, growth was recorded for almost all commodity items, except for whey, imports of which fell by a third. The largest increase, 25%, was observed in the cheese group: more than 1.8 thousand tons of this product were imported into the country. This commodity item accounts for the lion’s share of the value structure of imports (almost 85%).
As a result, the balance of exports and imports of dairy products became negative for the first time since March, at $(-4.3) million.
Analysts believe that such a significant increase in imports was largely due to the rise in domestic prices for raw milk in Ukraine, which occurred in the second half of July (+5%) and continued in August. This partially reduced the competitiveness of domestic products, making imports more attractive.
“Such dynamics affect the country’s balance of payments and require a balanced approach to pricing in the domestic dairy products market,” the SMPU concluded.
Ukraine increased imports of lead and lead products by 7.7 times to $4.723 million (in July – $718 thousand), while exports of lead and lead products decreased by 15.6% to $5.482 million (in July – $1.022 million).
Lead is currently mainly used in the production of lead-acid batteries for the automotive industry. In addition, lead is used in the manufacture of bullets and certain alloys.
The volume of zinc and zinc products supplied to Ukraine in January-July 2025 decreased by 0.5% to $33.204 million (in July – $7.452 million). Zinc exports for the first seven months of the year reached $707,000 (in July – $87,000), while in January-July 2024 they amounted to $120,000.
Pure metallic zinc is used to recover precious metals, protect steel from corrosion, and for other purposes.
In January-July 2025, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 26.7% compared to the same period in 2024, to $12.446 million (in July – $1.875 million), while exports of nickel and nickel products amounted to $746,000 (in July – $139,000) compared to $423,000 for the first seven months of 2024.
Nickel is used in the production of stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, in powder metallurgy, and in chemical reagents.
In January-July of this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 29.1% compared to the same period last year, to $109.984 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine on Tuesday, exports of copper and copper products during the period increased by 12.7% to $55.437 million.
In July, copper imports amounted to $16.821 million, while exports amounted to $9.357 million.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloy production, medicine, and other industries.
In January-July of this year, Ukraine increased imports of coke and semi-coke in physical terms by 6.1% compared to the same period last year, to 364,669 thousand tons from 343,678 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Tuesday, imports of coke in monetary terms decreased by 2.8% during this period, to $121.049 million.
It was mainly imported from Poland (89.62% of supplies in monetary terms), Indonesia (7.90%), and the Czech Republic (2.45%).
During the period in question, Ukraine exported 3 tons of coke worth $2,000 to Albania.
As reported, Metinvest suspended the operations of the Pokrovsk Coal Group in January this year due to changes in the situation on the front line, electricity shortages, and the deterioration of the security situation.
Last year, Ukraine increased its imports of coke and semi-coke in physical terms by 2.01 times compared to 2023, to 661,487 thousand tons, importing it mainly from Poland (84.76% of supplies in monetary terms), Colombia (7.74%), and Hungary (2.69%). In monetary terms, imports increased by 81.9% to $235.475 million.
In 2024, the country exported 1,601 thousand tons of coke worth $368 thousand to Moldova (99.18%) and Latvia (0.82%), while in January, March, October, and November 2024, there were no exports, and in 2023, exports amounted to 3,383 tons worth $787 thousand.
