You're reading: Ukraine could increase milk output by 2% in 2012

Milk production in Ukraine in 2012 will reach 11.3 million tonnes compared to 11.086 million tonnes in 2011, read materials of the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry of Ukraine spread at the Milk Business 2012 international conference held in Kyiv on Thursday.

The materials say that growth in milk output this year would be almost 2%.

The ministry also said that milk and dairy products exports this year would amount to 800,000 tonnes (in conversion to milk), while last year the country supplied 964,000 tonnes of products to foreign markets. Imports of milk and dairy products are expected at 300,000 tonnes compared to 257,000 tonnes in 2011.

Deputy Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Oleksandr Sen said at the conference that this year that a upward trend in milk production and the stabilization of livestock numbers has been seen for the first time in many years. He expressed hope that the situation in the milk sector will improve in the future.

Sen said that the fact that growth in milk production is mainly supported by agricultural companies, which can offer high-quality raw milk for processing, is a positive one.

In addition, the ministry says that milk and dairy product consumption this year per capital will grow from last year 205 kilograms to 213.7 kilograms.

As reported, referring to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, milk production in Ukraine in January-September 2012 rose by 2.6% year-over-year, to 8.95 million tonnes.