This is evidenced by data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
In January–May 2026, Ukrainian cheese exports rose by 5.3% to 6,000 metric tons.
In monetary terms, exports in January–May of this year increased by 3% compared to the same period in 2025, reaching $27.4 million.
The largest buyers of Ukrainian cheese during this period were Moldova (34.1%), Kazakhstan (27.6%), and Germany (12.7%).
The total cheese market in Moldova is approximately 15,000 metric tons per year. Consumption is growing rapidly: whereas sheep’s milk brynza used to form the basis of the diet, today Moldovans consume seven times as much traditional cheese—an average of about 9.5 kg per capita.
Domestic production totals just under 9,000 metric tons per year (including cottage cheese, goat cheese, sheep cheese, and cow cheese).
The remainder is covered by imports, mainly from Ukraine.
