Russia’s dairy industry shapes household diets and farm livelihoods nationwide—from major producers like Tatarstan to national output. This page walks through how consumption, raw-milk supply, and product mix move over time, from cheese and butter to yogurt and milk powder. It also connects key enablers and signals—jobs, investment, retail milk prices, and trade flows that persist despite sanctions. You’ll see how yields and regional concentration support future growth.
Key Takeaways
- Russia per capita dairy consumption was 320 kg in 2022.
- Milk consumption per capita dropped to 225 liters in 2023.
- Cheese consumption reached 8.2 kg per capita in 2022.
- Russia produced 650,000 tons of cheese in 2022, a 5.4% rise.
- Butter production volume was 285,000 tons in 2023.
- Yogurt output reached 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- Russia dairy market size valued at 1.8 trillion rubles in 2022.
- Average retail milk price was 72 rubles per liter in 2023.
- Dairy industry employed 450,000 people in 2022.
- Russia's raw milk production reached 32.15 million metric tons in 2022, marking a 2.1% increase from 2021.
- In 2023, the average milk yield per cow in Russia was 6,450 kg, up 3.2% year-over-year.
- Tatarstan region produced 2.47 million tons of milk in 2022, accounting for 7.7% of national output.
- Russia exported 85,000 tons of dairy products in 2022.
- Dairy imports totaled 420,000 tons in 2023 despite sanctions.
- Cheese exports grew 18% to 25,000 tons in 2022.
Russia’s dairy market is booming as milk output and cheese production rise despite falling consumption.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption26 stats
01
Russia per capita dairy consumption was 320 kg in 2022.
02
Milk consumption per capita dropped to 225 liters in 2023.
03
Cheese consumption reached 8.2 kg per capita in 2022.
04
Butter intake averaged 5.1 kg per person in 2023.
05
Yogurt consumption grew 4.5% to 12 kg per capita in 2022.
06
Urban population dairy intake was 345 kg per capita in 2023.
07
Children under 3 consumed 180 liters of milk equivalent annually in 2022.
08
Regional variation: Moscow per capita dairy 420 kg vs national 320 kg in 2023.
09
Elderly dairy consumption averaged 280 kg per capita in 2022.
10
School milk program reached 15 million liters daily in 2023.
11
Household dairy expenditure was 4.2% of food budget in 2022.
12
Fermented products consumption hit 65 kg per capita in 2023.
13
Ice cream per capita consumption was 6.8 kg in summer 2022.
14
Low-fat dairy preference rose to 42% of total consumption in 2023.
15
Cottage cheese intake averaged 7.5 kg per capita in 2022.
16
Sour cream consumption stood at 4.8 kg per person in 2023.
17
Organic dairy consumption grew 15% to 2.1 kg per capita in 2022.
18
Plant-based dairy alternatives captured 3.5% market share in 2023.
19
Rural dairy consumption was 295 kg per capita in 2022.
20
Sports nutrition dairy products consumption up 22% in 2023.
21
Lactose-free dairy demand increased to 1.8 kg per capita in 2022.
22
Functional dairy beverages consumed 18 liters per capita in 2023.
23
Cheese varieties consumption: hard 4.2 kg, soft 2.1 kg in 2022.
24
Dairy in HoReCa sector grew 8% to 12% of total in 2023.
25
Per capita cream consumption was 2.9 kg in 2022.
26
Kefir per capita intake reached 9.5 kg in 2023.
Interpretation
Consumption Interpretation
From a consumption perspective, Russians are shifting their dairy intake as total per capita consumption stays high at 320 kg in 2022 but milk drops to 225 liters in 2023, while cheese rises to 8.2 kg and yogurt climbs to 12 kg by 2022 and butter reaches 5.1 kg in 2023.
02 · Category
Dairy Product Production29 stats
01
Russia produced 650,000 tons of cheese in 2022, a 5.4% rise.
02
Butter production volume was 285,000 tons in 2023.
03
Yogurt output reached 1.2 million tons in 2022.
04
Whole milk powder production hit 145,000 tons in 2023.
05
Drinking milk production was 8.7 million tons in 2022.
06
Sour cream production volume stood at 420,000 tons in 2023.
07
Cottage cheese output grew to 580,000 tons in 2022.
08
Ice cream production reached 450,000 tons in summer 2023.
09
Skimmed milk powder production was 92,000 tons in 2022.
10
Fermented milk products totaled 2.1 million tons in 2023.
11
Hard cheese production increased 7.2% to 210,000 tons in 2023.
12
Whey production volume was 1.8 million tons in 2022.
13
Condensed milk output reached 180,000 tons in 2023.
14
Processed cheese production hit 95,000 tons in 2022.
15
Dairy desserts production grew 12% to 320,000 tons in 2023.
16
Butter cream production was 150,000 tons in 2022.
17
Soft cheese output stood at 45,000 tons in 2023.
18
Milk formula for infants production was 28,000 tons in 2022.
19
Ghee production volume reached 12,000 tons in 2023.
20
Dairy spreads output was 68,000 tons in 2022.
21
Blue cheese production hit 8,500 tons in 2023.
22
Casein production from milk was 5,200 tons in 2022.
23
Lactose production volume stood at 22,000 tons in 2023.
24
Milk protein concentrates output was 15,000 tons in 2022.
25
Ricotta cheese production grew to 3,200 tons in 2023.
26
Dairy-based beverages production reached 950,000 tons in 2022.
27
Mozzarella production volume was 42,000 tons in 2023.
28
Cream production hit 1.45 million tons in 2022.
29
Kefir output stood at 1.05 million tons in 2023.
Interpretation
Dairy Product Production Interpretation
Within Russia’s dairy product production, drinking milk remained the volume leader at 8.7 million tons in 2022 while cheese rose to 650,000 tons that year, a 5.4% increase.
03 · Category
Economic24 stats
01
Russia dairy market size valued at 1.8 trillion rubles in 2022.
02
Average retail milk price was 72 rubles per liter in 2023.
03
Dairy industry employed 450,000 people in 2022.
04
Investment in dairy sector reached 250 billion rubles in 2023.
05
Producer milk price averaged 28 rubles/kg in 2022.
06
Cheese wholesale price rose 12% to 550 rubles/kg in 2023.
07
Dairy market CAGR projected at 3.5% through 2028.
08
State subsidies to dairy farms: 45 billion rubles in 2022.
09
Butter retail price hit 850 rubles/kg in 2023.
10
Top 10 dairy companies held 45% market share in 2022.
11
Yogurt price inflation was 8.2% in 2023.
12
Dairy export revenue generated $450 million in 2022.
13
Production costs for cheese averaged 420 rubles/kg in 2023.
14
Retail dairy sales volume 12.5 million tons in 2022.
15
Farmgate milk price premium for organic: 15 rubles/liter in 2023.
16
Dairy processing capacity utilization 78% in 2022.
17
E-commerce dairy sales grew 25% to 150 billion rubles in 2023.
18
Cottage cheese producer margin 22% in 2022.
19
Sour cream retail price 180 rubles/kg average in 2023.
20
Dairy industry GDP contribution 0.8% in 2022.
21
Ice cream market value 220 billion rubles in 2023.
22
Milk powder import substitution saved 30 billion rubles in 2022.
23
Wholesale cream price 250 rubles/kg in 2023.
24
Kefir production profitability 18% average in 2022.
Interpretation
Economic Interpretation
The Russia dairy sector shows clear economic momentum as investment climbed to 250 billion rubles in 2023 while cheese wholesale prices jumped 12% to 550 rubles per kg, even as average retail milk reached 72 rubles per liter in 2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Milk Production30 stats
01
Russia's raw milk production reached 32.15 million metric tons in 2022, marking a 2.1% increase from 2021.
02
In 2023, the average milk yield per cow in Russia was 6,450 kg, up 3.2% year-over-year.
03
Tatarstan region produced 2.47 million tons of milk in 2022, accounting for 7.7% of national output.
04
Russia's dairy cattle herd numbered 7.82 million heads as of January 2023.
05
In Q1 2024, milk production in Bashkortostan hit 512,000 tons, a record high.
06
National milk production growth rate was 1.8% in 2023 compared to 2022.
07
Udmurtia Republic's milk output was 1.12 million tons in 2023.
08
Industrial milk processing volume reached 28.9 million tons in 2022.
09
Per capita milk availability in Russia was 228 kg in 2022.
10
Krasnodar Krai contributed 1.85 million tons of milk in 2023.
11
Milk production from large farms exceeded 85% of total in 2023.
12
Altai Krai milk production grew to 1.65 million tons in 2022.
13
Russia's milk self-sufficiency rate reached 84.3% in 2023.
14
Chelyabinsk Oblast produced 1.28 million tons of milk in 2023.
15
Holstein breed contributed 62% of total milk yield in 2022.
16
Rostov Oblast milk output was 1.05 million tons in 2023.
17
Milk production costs averaged 22.5 rubles per liter in 2023.
18
Sverdlovsk Oblast reached 912,000 tons of milk in 2022.
19
Organic milk production volume was 45,000 tons in 2023.
20
Voronezh Oblast milk production hit 1.02 million tons in 2023.
21
Milk productivity increased by 150 kg per cow in 2023 nationwide.
22
Belgorod Oblast produced 892,000 tons of milk in 2022.
23
Raw milk quality met Grade Extra in 78% of samples in 2023.
24
Samara Oblast milk output grew 4.2% to 785,000 tons in 2023.
25
Dairy farm modernization supported 1,200 new facilities in 2022.
26
Omsk Oblast milk production was 678,000 tons in 2023.
27
Milk yield per forage cow averaged 5,200 kg in 2022.
28
Stavropol Krai produced 1.34 million tons of milk in 2023.
29
National dairy cattle imports totaled 12,000 heads in 2023.
30
Penza Oblast milk output reached 612,000 tons in 2022.
Interpretation
Milk Production Interpretation
Milk production in Russia is steadily expanding, with raw milk output rising to 32.15 million metric tons in 2022, while 2023 continued the momentum with national growth of 1.8% and an average yield per cow reaching 6,450 kg.
05 · Category
Trade25 stats
01
Russia exported 85,000 tons of dairy products in 2022.
02
Dairy imports totaled 420,000 tons in 2023 despite sanctions.
03
Cheese exports grew 18% to 25,000 tons in 2022.
04
Milk powder imports from Belarus reached 150,000 tons in 2023.
05
Butter exports to China hit 12,000 tons in 2022.
06
Dairy trade balance deficit narrowed to $1.2 billion in 2023.
07
Kazakhstan imported 45,000 tons of Russian cheese in 2022.
08
Whey powder exports rose 25% to 35,000 tons in 2023.
09
Whole milk powder imports declined 15% to 95,000 tons in 2022.
10
Yogurt exports to EAEU countries totaled 8,500 tons in 2023.
11
Skimmed milk powder from New Zealand: 28,000 tons imported in 2022.
12
Cottage cheese exports grew to 4,200 tons in 2023.
13
Dairy to Uzbekistan: 22,000 tons exported in 2022.
14
Butter imports from Belarus were 65,000 tons in 2023.
15
Ice cream exports reached 5,800 tons in 2022.
16
Casein imports totaled 3,500 tons from Argentina in 2023.
17
Sour cream exports to Mongolia: 1,200 tons in 2022.
18
Lactose exports grew 10% to 4,000 tons in 2023.
19
Dairy protein imports: 12,000 tons in 2022.
20
Hard cheese imports from EU dropped 90% post-sanctions in 2023.
21
Milk formula imports: 15,000 tons mainly from Belarus in 2022.
22
Ghee exports to Middle East: 800 tons in 2023.
23
Dairy spreads trade volume: exports 2,500 tons in 2022.
24
Blue cheese imports negligible at 150 tons in 2023.
25
Ricotta exports minimal: 450 tons to EAEU in 2022.
Interpretation
Trade Interpretation
Even amid sanctions, Russia’s dairy trade shifted toward imports at 420,000 tons in 2023 while exports still rose, with cheese up 18% to 25,000 tons in 2022 and the overall trade balance deficit narrowing to $1.2 billion in 2023.
report visual · Comparison
Russia dairy consumption shifts from milk toward specific products
Consumption patterns vary by product and year, with milk per-capita declining while items like yogurt rise.
Russia per capita dairy consumption was 320 kg in 2022.320
Milk consumption per capita dropped to 225 liters in 2023.
225
Low-fat dairy preference rose to 42% of total consumption in 2023.
42%
Yogurt consumption grew 4.5% to 12 kg per capita in 2022.
4.5%
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). Russia Dairy Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/russia-dairy-industry-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "Russia Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/russia-dairy-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "Russia Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/russia-dairy-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
81 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level