Ukraine sees drop in poultry imports in 2013

Ukraine imported 71,100 tonnes of poultry meat and offal in 2013, which is 1.6 times less than in 2012, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has informed.

In value terms, imports of these products are down by 35.6%, to US$ 101.2 million. According to the ministry, in 2013, pork imports also went down by 27.7% compared with 2012, to 150,200 tonnes. Over the past year, pork imports amounted to US$ 388.1 million, which is 13% less than in 2012.

Analysts say the decrease demonstrates the enhanced positions of local producers on the domestic market. The production of animal products allows to fully satisfy domestic needs and, respectively, has already created a positive shift in reliance on imports. According to experts, over 61% of the Ukrainian meat is produced at modern domestic livestock and poultry farms today.

Also last year, exports of poultry meat and offal from Ukraine totaled 145,500 tons, which is by 1.8 times more than in 2012, and amounts to US$ 232.1 million against US$ 145.23 million in 2012. This is partly due to the onset of the permit to export Ukrainian poultry to the European Union from 24 July 2013.