IDFA Releases New Project Diversify Report Highlighting Export Opportunities in Central Asia

IDFA Releases New Project Diversify Report Highlighting Export Opportunities in Central Asia

New IDFA analysis identifies Uzbekistan as strongest opportunity in region for U.S. dairy exports

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2026 - The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today released the second report in its Project Diversify initiative, a data-driven effort to identify high-growth global markets and expand opportunities for U.S. dairy exports.

With U.S. dairy exports at near record levels - $10 billion annually - new markets are essential to support the industry's long-term growth. The new report, "Project Diversify: Central Asia - A Data-Based Initiative to Identify New & Emerging Opportunities for U.S. Dairy Exports," evaluates market conditions across Central Asia and highlights Uzbekistan as the region's strongest near-term opportunity for U.S. dairy exporters. The analysis also identifies Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as markets with promising long-term growth potential.

"The next phase of U.S. dairy export growth will come from both strengthening existing markets and pursuing new opportunities around the world," said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. "Project Diversify helps the industry do exactly that-applying a data-driven framework to inform strategic decision-making, and position U.S. dairy to compete and win in high-potential regions."

The Central Asia report builds upon IDFA's inaugural Project Diversify analysis of Western Africa and advances the initiative's broader mission of capitalizing on the next generation of growth markets for U.S. dairy exports.

"While Central Asia may not be among the first regions U.S. dairy exporters consider, our analysis shows it deserves greater attention," said Becky Rasdall Vargas, senior vice president of trade and workforce policy at IDFA. "Uzbekistan stands out for its strong economic fundamentals, growing consumer demand and expanding commercial ties with the United States - something we have shared with U.S. officials engaging in negotiations with Uzbekistan. We look forward to supporting the advancement of those negotiations through the release of this report, which we hope will also help companies make strategic, data-based export investment decisions."

Among the report's findings:

• Uzbekistan emerged as the leading opportunity in Central Asia, driven by sustained economic growth, increasing consumer demand and a favorable investment environment. Recent developments in U.S.-Uzbek trade relations further reinforce the country's positive outlook.

• Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan demonstrate encouraging long-term trends, including investments in infrastructure modernization, digital connectivity and financial reform. At the same time, economic and political interconnectedness with China and Russia can pose real complications for exporters to both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Future phases of Project Diversify will evaluate additional regions and introduce interactive tools that allow companies to compare metrics across markets, regions and product categories. These resources will support more informed evaluations of potential export markets to support long-term growth strategies across U.S. dairy. The full report is available here.

# # #

Contact: [email protected]

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $198 billion in wages and $779 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA's diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.