Russia Reports Strategic Increase in Butter Imports from Argentina and Uruguay

Russia has experienced a substantial rise in butter supplies from Argentina (up 5.6 times) and Uruguay (up 100%). Belarus remains the sole provider of cottage cheese and dominates ice cream imports, while onion and garlic imports rose significantly. Tomato imports were primarily from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, totaling 124.9 thousand tonnes.

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, known as Rosselkhoznadzor, has reported a notable increase in butter imports to Russia, particularly from Argentina and Uruguay. In the initial months of 2025, imports from Argentina surged by 5.6 times compared to the previous year, totaling 2,000 tonnes, while shipments from Uruguay doubled to 1,000 tonnes.

In the dairy product sector, Belarus dominates the ice cream supply to Russia, contributing 2.1 thousand tonnes since the start of 2025, while Kazakhstan supplied 1.4 thousand tonnes. Additionally, cottage cheese imports are sourced exclusively from Belarus, with a total of 16.6 thousand tonnes reported.

Moreover, onion and garlic imports have also witnessed significant growth, increasing by 2.1 times to reach 77.8 thousand tonnes in early 2025. The primary sources of tomatoes are Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, supplying 30 thousand tonnes and 28.7 thousand tonnes, respectively. Overall, Russia imported 124.9 thousand tonnes of tomatoes since the beginning of the year.

The sharp increase in butter and other food imports into Russia underlines the nation’s growing trade relationships with Argentina and Uruguay. The dominance of Belarus in the dairy sector and the rising import levels of various vegetables highlight the dynamics of Russia’s import market as it adapts to evolving supply chains.

Original Source: tvbrics.com