In December 2025, Ukraine exported 10.38 thousand tons of dairy products worth $25.92 million, which is 0.3% and 6% less than in November, but 44% and 51% more than in December 2025, according to the Association of Milk Producers (AMP).
The industry association noted that in January-December 2025, Ukraine exported 131.91 thousand tons (+12% compared to the same period in 2024) of dairy products worth $401.36 million (+35%).
Analysts specified that the main export categories in December were milk and condensed cream (36%), cheese (22%), and butter (21%).
According to their information, in December 2025, Ukraine increased the volume of exports of milk and cream, not condensed, to 2.58 thousand tons (+13%), milk and cream, condensed, to 3.63 thousand tons (+5%), fermented milk products to 575 tons (+14%), butter to 836 tons (+13%), and ice cream to 336 tons (+6%) compared to November. The volume of whey exports decreased to 1 thousand tons (-22%) and cheese to 1.24 thousand tons (-3%) compared to the previous month.
Compared to December 2024, Ukraine increased its physical exports of milk and cream, condensed (+90%), fermented milk products (+50%), butter (+91%), and cheese (+45%) to foreign markets the most.
At the same time, compared to November 2025, cash proceeds for shipped milk and cream, non-condensed, increased to $2.09 million (+11%), milk and cream, condensed, to $9.23 million (+5%), fermented milk products to $984 thousand (+32%), ice cream to $1.29 million (+10%), butter to $5.41 million (+7%), but decreased for shipped whey to $1.11 million (-23%) and cheese to $5.8 million (-5%).
Compared to December 2024, the largest increase in cash proceeds was for exported milk and cream, condensed (+68%), fermented milk products (+78%), and butter (+60%). Cash proceeds for exported whey decreased (-5%).
“The unpredictable increase in milk production during 2025 led to an accumulation of exchange goods in European warehouses and a collapse in world prices for butter and other dairy products. Activity in the dairy market traditionally slows down at the end of the year, during the New Year holidays, which naturally led to a reduction in exports from Ukraine. In early January, exports of dairy products from Ukraine to Europe effectively stopped due to changes in EU requirements for licensing export volumes within quotas. The procedure, developed at the end of December, was not actually provided to anyone, which meant that Ukrainian processing companies, together with their partners who import Ukrainian dairy products, were unable to submit applications for export permits in a timely manner,” explained AVM analyst Georgiy Kukhiashvili.
The industry association drew attention to the increase in imports of dairy products from the EU to Ukraine, in particular cheese and butter, which are supplied to domestic retail chains from Poland. In December 2025, the country imported 6.52 thousand tons of dairy products worth $37.28 million. Compared to November 2025, natural import volumes increased by 17%, and compared to December 2024, they decreased by 14%.
In January-December 2025, Ukraine imported 64.69 thousand tons (+7%) of dairy products worth $337.93 million (+16%). Cheese accounted for the largest share of total imports during this period (65%).
“The foreign trade balance in December was negative and amounted to -$11.36 million, probably due to the influx of cheap condensed milk and cheese into Ukraine and a decrease in the volume of dairy product exports,” the AVM summarized.
