The share of imported cheeses on the Ukrainian market increased from 38% to 45% in 2025 and continues to grow. If the situation does not change, Ukrainian producers may control less than half of the market as early as March–April 2026, reports ProAgro Group.

“The current trend in the cheese market poses a threat to Ukraine’s food security and requires an immediate government response. If, for political reasons, anti-subsidy investigations against EU producers — primarily from Poland — have no prospects, efforts should focus on strengthening state support for Ukrainian producers,” said Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine Executive Director Arsen Didur.

According to the Union, imports of rennet cheese to Ukraine increased by 13% in 2025, reaching 32.9 thousand tons, including 15.8 thousand tons of hard cheese, which is 14% more year on year.

Currently, the Ukrainian government is considering an initiative by the Union to increase compensation under the National Cashback program for domestically produced cheese from 10% to 20%. At the same time, it is proposed to reduce or abolish compensation for other dairy products that do not face such intense competition from imports.

As previously reported, Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine Head Tetiana Diadechko stated that the main threat to the domestic cheese market is not so much legal imports as smuggling, as illegally imported cheeses are significantly cheaper and exert the strongest dumping pressure.