May 8, 2006

Ukraine's poultry output increases 31 percent

Ukraine is likely to produce 550,000 tonnes of poultry this year, compared with 419,200 tonness in 2005, according to a report published in Kiev by the Poultry Rearers' Union of Ukraine.

The country's poultry output fell to 419,200 tonnes in 2005 from 515,000 tonnes in 2004 due to culling and falling demand because of bird flu, but the industry is recovering this year, the report said.

The proportion of poultry in the total amount of meat consumed by Ukrainians this year is likely to increase to 50 percent from 12 percent in 2000.

By 2010, Ukraine plans to produce 800,000 tonnes of poultry a year, including 500,000 tonnes of broiler meat.

The report said in the last few years, despite bird flu, a number of investors have entered the poultry market and much financial resources have been committed towards the upgrading of existing facilities and the creation of new ones.

Ukraine's present per capita poultry consumption is only 6kg, compared with 13.6 kg in 1990, meaning there is much room for improvement, the report indicated.