Milk production in Ukraine has declined due to the heat
In July, Ukraine produced 563,700 metric tons of raw milk. This is 0.5% less than in June and a full 15% less than in July of last year. The sharpest decline in production was seen among private households.
According to preliminary data from the State Statistics Service, as reported by the Association of Milk Producers, all categories of farms produced 563.7 thousand metric tons of raw milk in July. Compared to June, volumes decreased by 2,800 metric tons, or 0.5%. When compared to July 2025, the decline is significantly more pronounced—nearly 100,000 metric tons, or 15%.
Analysts attribute this primarily to the intense heat. High temperatures cause heat stress in cows. As a result, the animals eat less, have a harder time tolerating the heat, and produce less milk.
At the same time, not all farms have modern ventilation and cooling systems that help the animals cope with the hot weather. “Raw milk production in Ukraine has declined due to the heat, since not all commercial dairy farms have been modernized and equipped with modern ventilation systems that allow cows to avoid heat stress,” noted analysts from the Association of Milk Producers.
The situation is better at processing plants
Dairy processing plants produced 281,000 metric tons of raw milk in July. This is 2,100 metric tons, or 0.7%, less than in June. But compared to July of last year, the situation is quite different: production increased by 12,000 metric tons, or 4.5%. In other words, industrial farms have even increased their production over the past year. The decline in the overall figure is largely due to the situation on private farms.
Production among private households saw the sharpest decline
Household farms produced 282,700 metric tons of milk in July. Compared to June, this is only 700 metric tons, or 0.2%, less. But over the past year, the decline has been much more severe. In July 2025, private households produced 111,700 metric tons more milk. Thus, production has decreased by 28.3% over the past year. This figure had the greatest impact on the overall decline in milk production in Ukraine.
The situation also highlights the difference between large dairy farms and private farms. Large enterprises are gradually modernizing their production, in particular by installing ventilation and cooling systems. On small farms, such capabilities are significantly limited.
The heat is particularly hard on cows. When temperatures remain high for an extended period, the animal’s body expends more energy on cooling. As a result, milk yields may decline. At the same time, Ukraine increased its exports of dairy products in July. However, the future situation on the domestic market will largely depend on milk yields in the second half of the summer and weather conditions. This was reported by the Milk Producers Association based on preliminary data from the State Statistics Service.
