Jan-July pork production 8% up YoY in Ukraine: PBA

Meat processing plants in Ukraine produced 185.3 thou. t of pork in the period January-July 2021, 8% up YoY, the Pig Breeders Association informs with reference to the State Customs Service's data.

The output of chilled, frozen pork, as well as smoked and salted pork products increased by 8.2% or 14 thou.t over seven months.

This positive dynamic was formed by the 6% growth in the production of chilled pork due to the overwhelming share of such products in the structure of processing.

Related: Pig farming in Ukraine: largest production companies in 2020

Frozen pork production, which was 43% more intensive than last year, also provided additional support. Although it has a small share in the structure of processing, the delicatessen group—salted, dried, or smoked pork—also progressed by 8.4% YoY.

"Owing to this and the slower growth in industrial production of chilled and frozen meat, by-products and fat (+5.4%), the share of pork in this structure increased from 18.6% in January-July 2020 to 19,5% for the comparative period of the current year," analysts comment.

The total output of meat, by-products and fat in January-July 2021 came to 950 thou. t, 2.75% higher YoY.

In 1H 2021, pork export from Ukraine surged by 61% YoY.