Even though Russian missiles are still targeting dairy farms in Ukraine, the bigger industrial units are investing heavily to try and futureproof their businesses.
The latest casualty was a dairy farm in the Nizhinsky district of the Chernihiv region, which was hit by a Russian drone during a heavy bombardment on the entire country.
11 cows were killed during that farm attack and part of the farm’s infrastructure, including the cow barn, was destroyed.
This brings the total number of dairy farms destroyed or attacked in Ukraine to over 100. The farm was hit during a 16-hour attack, when a total of 93 rockets were fired at Ukraine, including at least one from North Korea.
Ukraine’s air defence system managed to shoot down 81 missiles, of which 11 wing missiles were shot down by F-16 fighter jets.
However, even with all the attacks, larger industrial dairy farms in Ukraine are reinvesting to keep their farms efficient and in business.
Ukraine dairy sector
Hanna Lavreniuk, general director of the Association of Milk Producers of Ukraine (AMP), confirmed the number of farms attacked.
She said: “The war has brought terrible losses. To date, more than 100 dairy farms in Ukraine have either been destroyed or damaged due to Russia’s terror tactics.
“Restoring these facilities is critically important to ensure stable milk production. At the same time, despite the active phase of the war, industrial dairy farms continue to invest in productivity, compliance with European standards and safety indicators.
“In 2024, dairy farms will provide a 6% increase in milk supply for food processing. This demonstrates not only productivity but also the willpower of our producers, who help ensure food security even in the most difficult conditions.
“The war has become a catalyst for many innovations. Our Ukrainian producers are rapidly investing in biogas plants to provide electricity for themselves and their communities. This new challenge requires technical expertise and financial support.”
The AMP director urged stakeholders, overseas farmers and the general public not to get tired of providing financial assistance to Ukrainian farmers.
“Our farmers critically need financial support for restoration and development, including investments in new technologies and modernisation of production processes,” she continued.
“We call for consistency and perseverance in this effort, as in the end, justice and the rule of law, not the rule of force, must prevail. This is essential for ensuring safety and security for all nations worldwide.”
There is also a staffing crisis on Ukrainian dairy with high turnovers of staff and limited numbers of workers willing to take over.
“The huge turnover of personnel in the agricultural sector requires express training and professional development courses and their adaptation to European requirements. This is the number one challenge, because we don’t have time,” Lavreniuk concluded.
