World meat industry news

Ukraine has imported 8.4 thousand tons of fresh, chilled and frozen pork in the first six months from 2018 compared to the corresponding period from 2017, when the country imported only 924 tons of pork, according to the GFD data analyzed by the Association of Pig Breeders of Ukraine.

 The value of the shipments of pork received between January and June this year by Ukraine amounts to nearly $15.4 million, as reported by UNN.

The Ukrainian association said that Ukraine has also expanded its list of suppliers by including also Brazil. Furthermore, it said that the top three raw meat suppliers have remained the same.

Pork shipments from Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark account for 56% of Ukraine's total pork imports.

Ukraine mainly imports pork from Europe, but it also imports from Canada since last year (in particular, frozen paddles, hams and pork cuts). According to the association, the average price for the Canadian pork products was $1.77-2/kg in January-April, while in May the average price was $1.68/kg.

The association added that last month the prices for Canadian pork products fluctuated between $1.66 and $1.68 per kilogram. More expensive pork cuts were reported also in May and June, their price ranging between $2.39 and $2.59 per kilogram.

Following last year, Ukraine increased its pork imports by 60% on account of the ASF outbreaks that reduced the country's pig numbers.