---
title: "Polish pressure on Ukrainian shelves: why imported cheese has become cheaper than domestic"
description: "Ukraine has sharply increased imports of dairy products from Poland in 2026. 🇵🇱🧀 Due to differences in state support and modernization, Polish cheese on shelves has become 22% cheaper than domestic. Experts warn: without changing the economic model, Ukraine risks remaining only a supplier of cheap raw materials."
date: 2026-06-11T05:46:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/polish-pressure-on-ukrainian-shelves-imported-cheese-cheaper-than-domestic
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Polish pressure on Ukrainian shelves: why imported cheese has become cheaper than domestic

![A supermarket clerk weighs sliced cheese for a customer, illustrating the competition between imported and local products](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/11/polsha-ukraina-import-molochnaya-produktsiya-2026/polsha-ukraina-import-molochnaya-produktsiya-2026-1.webp)

The Ukrainian dairy market is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. In the first five months of 2026, the country sharply increased its imports of dairy products, with Poland becoming the leading supplier. Statistics record a rapid growth in the import of cheeses and whey, which led to the formation of a negative trade balance of $85.7 million for the reporting period.

The phenomenon described in the RBC-Ukraine article goes beyond simple brand competition. It is a clash of two fundamentally different economic models, where the Ukrainian producer found itself in a losing position due to a lack of state support and the consequences of the war.

### The math of defeat: grants versus loans

The key reason for the dominance of Polish products lies in the difference in business conditions. While Polish processing plants underwent large-scale modernization, receiving grants from the European Union ranging from 1 to 2 billion euros, Ukrainian plants were forced to attract loans at market rates reaching 18% per annum.

This investment asymmetry led to a colossal difference in productivity. Thanks to new equipment, Polish dairy plants are capable of processing up to 1,500 tons of raw materials per day. Ukrainian enterprises, on average, manage only 500 tons. The result is obvious: neighbors have a surplus of products, which they successfully export to the external market, including Ukraine.

By the end of 2025, Polish dairy exports reached €3.9 billion, putting the country in third place in the EU. Over two decades, Poland's share in the structure of Ukraine's dairy imports has grown from 3% to 46%. Today, Polish enterprises occupy almost half of the market for cheeses imported into the country.

### The price of the question: why is the import cheaper?

For the average consumer, the situation looks paradoxical: a quality domestic product on store shelves costs more than an imported one. The price difference between Polish and Ukrainian cheese is on average 22%. In terms of per kilogram, this means that Ukrainians pay €1 or more for their own product.

For example, in the "Silpo" chain, aged hard cheese of the Polish brand Polmlek costs 853.33 UAH/kg, while a similar Ukrainian product "Como" is priced at 949 UAH/kg. Experts note that Polish products, especially whey, are sold at prices that seem unrealistic for the Ukrainian market (for example, dry whey — €3,000/ton vs. €1,560–1,700 for Ukrainian), however, the final cost of the finished product remains lower among neighbors.

Daria Palaguta, Director of the Category Management Department of the VARUS chain, explains the success of imports through stability: foreign goods are supplied with clearly predictable characteristics and an unchanged taste. In conditions where the buyer has become critically sensitive to price, the combination of low cost and familiar quality becomes the decisive factor.

### Crisis of the raw material base and structural trap

The problem is exacerbated by internal factors. The war led to the loss of 10 million consumers, and since 2022 there has been a reduction in pastures and livestock numbers. In 2026, procurement prices for raw milk fell to critical levels: 13.50–14.50 UAH/l. At such indicators, most small and medium-sized farms are operating at a loss.

Paradoxically, even with lower spot prices for milk in Poland (11–12 UAH/l equivalent), Polish processors remain in the winning position. The secret lies in the market structure: in the EU, spot deals account for only 10%, whereas in Ukraine, the market is 100% spot. This makes Ukrainian business extremely vulnerable and unstable.

Today, Ukraine has found itself in a trap of a "raw material colony": the country exports cheap raw materials (casein, dry milk) and imports expensive deep-processed products in return. While Ukrainian plants sell semi-finished products, Polish enterprises turn by-products into high-margin whey protein concentrates for sports and baby food.

### A battle not of brands, but of states

Arsen Didur, Executive Director of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine, emphasizes: "The fight for external markets has long ceased to be a competition of brands. Today it is a tournament of state models of business support".

The crisis in the dairy market cannot be explained solely by the aggressiveness of imports. This is a systemic problem where even a quality Ukrainian brand loses due to a lack of equal conditions. Without a transition to long-term contract milk, the development of deep processing, and the strengthening of trade diplomacy, the prospects look hazy.

The main question facing the industry is no longer whether imports will increase. The question is whether Ukraine can transform from a supplier of cheap raw materials into an exporter of products with high added value. The answer to this will determine whose products will lie on Ukrainian shelves in the future.