This was stated by the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (UDIE). “The current trend on the cheese market poses a threat to Ukraine’s food safety and requires a prompt government response,” Ukrainian media quoted Arsen Didur, executive director of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine, as saying. – If for political reasons anti-subsidy investigations against EU producers, first of all Poland, have no prospects, it is worth focusing on intensifying state support for Ukrainian producers”.
According to the association, the volume of imports of rennet cheese to Ukraine in 2025 increased by 13% to 32.9 thousand tons, including hard cheese – by 14% to 15.8 thousand tons.
According to the Association’s report, the initiative of SMPU to increase compensation under the “National Cashback” program for Ukrainian-made cheese from 10% to 20% is now under consideration by the government. At the same time, it is proposed to reduce or cancel compensation for other dairy products that do not face such fierce competition with imports.
Ukraine responds by exporting cheese to Moldova
It is worth recalling that for several years Moldova has been steadily entering the top 5 largest markets for Ukrainian cheese – up to 5 thousand tons annually. This is a third of Ukrainian exports and almost half of Moldovan production of this category of products.
At the same time, the Moldovan authorities financially (through targeted subsidies per “kilogram of milk” and “head of animals”) stimulate the livestock industry, but not the consumption of local animal products.
This is a variant of “import substitution”.
