Dairy production increased in January

In January, the production of drinking milk amounted to 527 thousand tons, which is 4.8% more than in the same period last year, the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture reported on March 11.

Positive dynamics is also observed in other categories of dairy products. The production of fermented dairy products increased by 3.9% (to 229 thousand tons), cheeses — by 0.9% (68.1 thousand tons), yoghurts — by 8.6% (67 thousand tons), cottage cheese — by 3.9% (40 thousand tons), cream — by 3.3% (29 thousand tons), and ice cream — by 8.7% (28 thousand tons).

The increase in production became possible due to the increase in the raw material base. In 2024, 34.07 million tons of raw milk were produced in all categories of farms, which is 0.8% higher than in the previous year. In January, the increase in marketable milk was 4%, which allowed enterprises to increase the output of finished products.

Against the background of changes in the structure of domestic demand, output volumes are adjusted by category. In particular, the demand for whole—milk products is growing - drinking milk, yoghurts, sour cream and cottage cheese, which encourages enterprises to increase their production. At the same time, the stabilization of demand for cheeses and butter leads to more moderate dynamics in these segments. Mild weather conditions also support increased demand for ice cream, said Artem Belov, General Director of the National Union of Milk Producers.

The dairy industry remains one of the most supported in the Russian agro-industrial complex. In 2023, the volume of state support amounted to about 62 billion rubles, and in 2024 it increased to almost 81 billion rubles. Enterprises receive direct subsidies to reimburse costs associated with the production of livestock products, grants for small businesses, compensation for the construction and modernization of dairy farms, as well as preferential loans and leasing.

These measures contribute to the sustainable development of the industry and allow producers to respond quickly to changes in consumer demand by providing Russians with high-quality dairy products.

On December 17 last year, the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture announced that from April 1, 2025, the national standard GOST R "Catering services. Recommendations on the development, design and content of wine lists". GOST, which for the first time describes in detail the best practices for the design of wine lists at catering establishments, was approved by order of Rosstandart on November 11. Representatives of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia, the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Russia (ABVR), as well as other specialists directly participated in its development.