Among the factors driving the competitiveness of Belarusian dairy products, Aleksandr Mozol highlighted the country’s strategic location. «Proximity to the markets of Russia, the CIS, and the European Union puts us in a more advantageous position than, for example, producers from New Zealand and the United States. A natural raw material base, modern production facilities, a developed export infrastructure, efficient logistics chains, and experience with various customs regimes ensure uninterrupted supplies, which is a critical condition for global trade. Furthermore, our products offer an optimal price-to-quality ratio, and they often become more competitive in price compared to dairy giants such as the EU and the USA, making them more attractive to consumers,» he said.

Global market challenges are currently shaping export strategy. «Among these challenges are declining supply in the European Union and New Zealand. In the EU, this is due to the introduction of methane emission directives, the so-called carbon footprint, rising feed costs, as well as demographic changes within farming communities. There is a global trend in which the number of milk producers decreases by 0.5% to 2.5% each year, the number of producers, not production volume. Naturally, this creates pricing windows for competitive suppliers who can fill the resulting gap,» Aleksandr Mozol explained.

Regarding Belarusian products, diversification is a worthy response to global turbulence, he believes. «The CIS and EAEU countries are historically our main sales markets. The Middle East and Africa are rapidly growing regions with high potential. Southeast Asia is a strategic growth priority. Rising living standards and changing eating habits are generating sustainable demand for high-quality dairy products. Targeted presence in other regions, particularly Latin America, is necessary, with expansion planned as logistics capabilities strengthen,» he said.

A key factor in enhancing the competitiveness of Belarusian dairy products is productivity in livestock farming. «Compared to our main competitors in dairy products on the global market, we look quite good,» he said.

In addition, supply networks and deep processing are also among the main competitive advantages.

«The Belarusian dairy industry is on the verge of a qualitative shift. The accumulated production potential, a well-developed scientific base, and an extensive export infrastructure create a solid foundation for transforming the country from a regional supplier into a global player in the premium segment. This raises a number of issues that will enable this transition: quality assurance in the global supply chain, diversification as a shield against shocks, and investment in technology,» Aleksandr Mozol emphasized.

Belarus has all the necessary conditions to transition from the role of a regional exporter to that of a global supplier of high-value-added products, he believes. «Realizing this potential requires coordinated action by the state, science, and business within the framework of a unified innovation development strategy. Belarusian milk is not just a product; it is the country’s calling card on the world stage, an embodiment of innovation, quality, and sustainable development,» he said.

Regarding the volume and dynamics of the global milk market, it has shown steady growth in recent years. «For example, in 2025, it surpassed 1 billion tonnes, compared to a forecast of 996 million tonnes. Why am I citing these figures? The fact is that FAO projections had predicted growth of 1.5% in 2025. In the end, growth exceeded 7%. This led to supply pressure on global milk and dairy product markets,» he said. «By 2036, growth is expected to reach 1.15 billion tonnes. At the same time, the growth strategies of key raw milk suppliers to the international market vary. Some are increasing production volumes by growing their herds, such as the largest milk producers, India and New Zealand. Others are doing so by reducing herd size while increasing production intensity, i.e., improving productivity.»

As for the global dairy products market, it amounted to 86 million tonnes in milk equivalent in 2024. Its annual growth rate is projected to be 3.06% through 2035. «What does this mean? If the milk market grows at the projected rate of 1.8% per year, the growth of the dairy products market will be nearly twice as high,» the associate professor said.