Ukraine plans to break into the global pork market

Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval believes that the pig breeding industry should become one of the key sectors in the structure of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine. In his opinion, Ukraine has great potential in pig breeding and it should be fully realized. Therefore, the goal is to remove all barriers to export, support Ukrainian producers and strengthen the position of the industry both within the country and on the international stage.

In particular, according to him, the priority is to expand export opportunities to countries such as South Korea, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong and the countries of the European Union. Active work is also planned to lift the current ban on the export of Ukrainian pork to Moldova. However, African swine fever remains a serious obstacle on this path. Vitaliy Koval emphasized the critical importance of the EU recognizing the zoning of Ukraine - this will allow isolating the foci of the disease and safely resuming exports. At the same time, the minister emphasized the need to reduce the risks of ASF spreading, in particular through regulating the number of wild boars and strengthening control over the illegal trade in meat products.

It should be noted that in January of this year, Ukraine imported a significant amount of pork, which exceeded the import volumes for the entire fourth quarter of 2024. According to the Association "Pig Breeders of Ukraine", pork imports in January amounted to about 323 tons, which is more than twice the total volume imported in the last three months of 2024, as well as in January 2024. However, analysts note that, despite the intensification of imports, its volumes are not yet critical and are not able to significantly affect the situation on the domestic market.

It is worth noting that the increased interest of Ukrainian meat processors in imported raw materials has led to an increase in domestic pork prices. The average purchase price of live pigs for slaughter in January increased by 5.5% compared to December, which is an atypical phenomenon for the winter period. Usually in winter, pork prices decrease, but this year a decrease in domestic supply stimulated their growth. At the same time, prices for European pork continued to fall in line with seasonal trends. Although the average customs value of a kilogram of imported pork was higher than in 2024 (2.84 USD per kilogram versus 2.52 USD excluding VAT), a number of meat processing enterprises used the opportunity to optimize their raw material costs.

Analysts note that although pork imports have traditionally affected domestic prices, its volumes do not currently put pressure on quotations, as most meat processors do not feel a significant influx of imported raw materials. As for the export of pig meat, in January it amounted to 295 tons, which is slightly less than the volume of imports. In addition to the main markets, such as the UAE, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Liberia, pork supplies to Georgia resumed at the beginning of the year.