Milk market in Kyrgyzstan

Earlier Report Observations

The Kyrgyz milk market exhibited steady growth from 2018 to 2023, with production volume increasing from 1 570 thousand tons to 1 778 thousand tons and domestic consumption rising from 1 557 thousand tons to 1 770 thousand tons. This expansion was primarily driven by growing exports to EAEU countries, especially Kazakhstan and Russia, where low self-sufficiency sustained demand for Kyrgyz dairy products. The entry of new players and investment in processing capacity, such as the state-owned holding 'Kyrgyzindustry' and the 'Nukura Pro' plant construction in 2022, provided further impetus for production growth.

Regulatory alignment with EAEU standards played a key role, as transitional provisions of the milk safety technical regulation, effective until February 2022, facilitated market access for Kyrgyz producers. However, inspections by Rosselkhoznadzor in 2023 introduced temporary challenges for exports due to issues with labeling and raw material documentation, though the overall production trend remained upward. The market continued to rely heavily on small-scale farms and household plots, which formed the backbone of raw milk supply throughout the period.

Production milk in Kyrgyzstan

In kind, 2018-2021, K t

Top producers of milk, 2018-2021

World map of production of milk, 2018-2021

Milk production in Kyrgyzstan has increased for the third consecutive year. In 2021, the country produced 1 700 thousand tons of milk, marking a slight gain of 1.9% compared to 2020. Between 2018 and 2021, production rose by 8.3%, which translates to an annualized growth rate of 2.7%.

Annual dynamics of production in Kyrgyzstan in kind, 2018-2021, K t

Exports milk from Kyrgyzstan

Exports in kind, t

Kyrgyzstan's milk export volume has grown for the third year in a row. In 2021, exports reached 17 480 tons, showing a year-over-year increase of 3.7%. From 2018 to 2021, exports expanded by 15.6%, equating to an annualized rate of 5.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Kyrgyzstan in kind, 2018-2021, t

Between 2018 and 2021, Kazakhstan was the dominant destination for Kyrgyzstan's milk exports in kind, accounting for 82.4% of total flows. The remaining share was distributed among several smaller markets.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Kyrgyzstan in kind, 2018-2021

Exports in value, K $ US

In 2021, Kyrgyzstan exported 19 385 thousand US dollars worth of milk, which is 43.8% more than the previous year. Over the period from 2018 to 2021, exports increased by 65.7%, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.3%. The largest decline occurred in 2020, at 10.8%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Kyrgyzstan in value, 2018-2021, K $ US

From 2018 to 2021, Kazakhstan and Russia remained the key destinations for Kyrgyzstan's milk exports in value terms, jointly taking 95.3% of total flows. Other partners were individually much less significant.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Kyrgyzstan in value, 2018-2021

Imports milk to Kyrgyzstan

Imports in kind, t

The data reveals irregular changes, indicating a volatile market environment. Imports varied significantly, with the lowest point in 2019 at 2 055 tons and the peak in 2020 at 4 580 tons, showing a 2.2-fold difference between these years. In 2021, milk shipments to Kyrgyzstan from abroad totaled 2 153 tons, which is 53.0% lower compared to the previous year. The largest increase was recorded in 2020, at 122.9%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Kyrgyzstan in kind, 2018-2021, t

In the period from 2018 to 2021, two markets—Kazakhstan and Russia—played the leading roles in milk imports in kind, together accounting for 97.6% of total flows. The rest was distributed among other destinations.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Kyrgyzstan in kind, 2018-2021

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2021, foreign milk supplies to Kyrgyzstan totaled 3 561 thousand US dollars, equivalent to a drop of 1.4% compared with 2020. Between 2018 and 2021, imports increased by 40.1%, equating to an annualized rate of 11.9%. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at 2 236 thousand US dollars, while the maximum was in 2020 at 3 610 thousand US dollars. The largest decline occurred in 2019, at 12.1%, and the largest increase was in 2020, at 61.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Kyrgyzstan in value, 2018-2021, K $ US

Over the years 2018 to 2021, Russia and Kazakhstan consistently accounted for 98.1% of total imports in value terms, indicating a high degree of concentration alongside a long tail of smaller markets.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Kyrgyzstan in value, 2018-2021