November 24, 2006

Ukraine's January-October poultry, pork output up on-year, beef down

Ukraine increased in January-October its poultry output by 22.5 percent, compared with the corresponding period last year, to 321,000 tonnes, according to the state statistics committee.

Pork output during the period increased by 53.4 percent to 102,700 tonnes.

Beef output during the period fell by 9 percent to 127,200 tonnes.

Some 200 new pig farms are being constructed in the country, with the number of pigs expected to increase by two million in the course of the year.

Ukraine poultry output is likely to increase this year to 550,000 tonnes from 419,200 tonnes in 2005.

In the last few years, despite an outbreak of bird flu, a number of serious investors entered the pork and poultry markets and considerable financial resources have been invested in upgrading the existing facilities and creating new ones.

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

By 2010, Ukraine plans to be producing 800,000 tonnes of poultry every year, including 500,000 tonnes of broiler chicken meat.