BEREZA, 31 July (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about the achievements of the domestic dairy industry during a state awards ceremony at the Savushkin Product facility in Bereza on 31 July, BelTA has learned.
The president named export as one of the key areas that demonstrate the significant growth of the dairy industry. “While back in 2005 an agricultural export of under $1.5 billion was considered a good result, in 2025 we exported to 117 countries and generated over $10 billion in revenue. $4 billion of that amount came from dairy products. We processed and sold more than 5.5 million tonnes,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “It is no wonder Belarus is among the world’s top ten dairy exporters. But we need more. Despite fierce competition, the demand for food is immense. We cannot afford to waste this potential, and as we invest in various sectors, we focus heavily on the dairy industry.”
In the early 2000s, Belarus produced just over 2.5 million tonnes of milk annually, with an average annual milk yield per cow of around 2,000 kg. Taking private households into account, the total was slightly over 4.5 million tonnes. “It was barely enough to feed ourselves. Let alone exports...” the head of state said. “But in our pursuit of results, both then and now, we were able to display the famous Belarusian patience, perseverance, and thriftiness. We counted every ruble and conserved every liter of raw material. And it worked.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed to the momentum showing how milk production has consistently grown in Belarus: the country surpassed the 5-million-tonne milestone in 2004, crossed 8 million tonnes in 2023, and hit 9 million tonnes in 2025. “In other words, we now produce practically a tonne of milk for every resident of our country,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.