August 19, 2011

Ukraine to setup pig farming development scheme

Ukraine will soon adopt the programme of pig farming development, according to Ukraine's Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food.

"In the coming years Ukraine should become a strong exporter of pork," recently announced the Minister Nykolai Prisyajnyuk during his visit to a number of pig farms in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

"Nowadays the main challenge of the industry is not only to move away the country's dependence on imports, but also to become a major exporter of pork in the CIS in the coming years," added the Minister.

"We need to find new schemes and new technologies of cultivation and production of pork. This measures will result, firstly, in the possibility to move away from the country's dependence on imports, and secondly, in the increase of the employment rate and incomes of the rural population," noted the Minister.

He further stated that this project will be based on the principle of public-private partnership. "In other words, the state should create conditions and provide support to farmers so they could receive the necessary equipment through leasing, purchase pigs, feed, and so on. This is the first hands-on project of promoting the participation of the rural economy in the development of agro-industrial complex," said Prisyajnyuk.

Today about 50% of total pork in the country is produced by private farms, so it is very important to involve farmers in the programme of overall industry development. Prisyajnyuk also added that in the near future this programme will be discussed with the participation of leading scientists, after which it will be sent to the government for approval.