Russia: Dairy and Products Annual
FAS/Moscow forecasts annual domestic milk production at 29.980 MMT in CY 2016. Industry performance will remain dependent on the actual implementation of payments of subsidies under state support programs. Commercial dairies are expected to increase supplies of milk for factory use, thereby raising cheese and curd production to 860,000 MT, in contrast to 2015 when much of the production gain apparently came from utilization of non-dairy fats. Production estimates for butter (265,000 MT), NFDM (75,000 MT) and WMP (36,000 MT) are expected to remain comparable to 2015 levels in absolute numbers. Assuming the current import embargo remains in place until August 2016, Belarus will continue to be the primary supplier of imported milk and dairy products to Russia next year.