September 17, 2004

Ukraine To Start Exporting Hen Eggs

According to Olexander Baumenko, the Head of Board of the Poultry Breeding Union of Ukraine, Ukrainian poultry breeding enterprises are set to start hen egg exports to Europe in 2005.

The Agrarian Policy Ministry was negotiating with the European Union to receive 2 percent share of the total import quota for the delivery of the product to the EU. The amount may come up to 2-3 billion eggs.

According to experts, Ukrainian hen egg exports may become possible as a result of forecasted egg shortage in Europe. This fact is due to the gradual refusal of Europe to buy USA goods.

Baumenko has noted, however, that the main problem of the enterprises is absence of proper certificates. Currently about 10 to 15 Ukrainian poultry breeding facilities are willing to go through European certification procedure, which is said to be not too expensive but rather complicated.

According to European law, feed and grain, which goes into the feed, should be certified as well as the product itself. Thus, the fields which are used for feed grain growing for the purpose should also be certified. These issues are to be coordinated until the start of 2005.

Besides shelled eggs, Ukrainian enterprises are willing to export shell-less ones. This product is considered to be more profitable because it saves package as well as transportation costs. It can also be stored longer.

According to Poultry Breeding Union, hen egg production in Ukraine has constantly been rising for the last few years. According to AP Ministry forecast, Ukraine will produce 11.7 to 12 billion hen eggs in 2004.