October 4, 2010

Ukraine to import less meat this year

Ukraine will import between 200,000 and 250,000 tonnes of meat in 2010, a decline of 22.5%-25% on-year, said Director-General Volodymyr Lapa of the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business Association (Kyiv).

Lapa pointed to a tendency toward reduction in meat imports for the last two years.

Ukraine imported more than 500,000 tonnes of meat in 2008, and above 300,000 tonnes in 2009, according to the association.

Swine and poultry stock is growing in Ukraine, Lapa added, but the cattle sector remains a problem mainly due to its high credit rates.

Ukraine curtailed meat imports by 25% or 130,000 tonnes in 2009 to some 400,000 tonnes.