Rational Standards of Dairy Consumption in the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation

The article describes the production and intake of dairy products in the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation. The authors studied the local raw material base, processing infrastructure, and production volumes for the most popular types of dairy products from the perspectives of rational consumption standards and food security. A correlation analysis of the main performance indicators revealed the regional features and associated problems. The Central Federal District is experiencing active urbanization. As a result, the processing infrastructure has increased to meet the local needs while the raw material base lags behind the processing capacities. The current deficit of raw milk production is as high as 37%. Raw materials from neighboring regions may reduce the quality of final products. Milk production could be increased by raising the milk yield; however, this reserve has almost been exhausted, its mean value going by 3% over the average European level. The problem may be resolved by raising the dairy herd by 300,000 cows, preferably on dairy farms with milk yield of ≥8,000 kg, i.e., those with the best European indicators.