World meat industry news

On the eve of the new year, the leaders of industry associations shared their views with Veterinary and Life on how the production of livestock products, feed and veterinary drugs will develop in 2023, what will happen to the export and import of goods, and what legislative changes will affect the work of key industries agro-industrial complex.

Today we present the forecast of the General Director of the National Union of Pig Breeders.

Yuri Kovalev, General Director of the National Union of Pig Breeders

– What awaits the industry in 2023?

The main trend for 2023 in the pig industry is a further increase in production, which we expect to be around 5%. At the same time, prices for pork next year will at least not increase, perhaps even slightly decrease.

The industry in 2023 will face the same tasks that were faced this year and were solved through the growth of domestic consumption of pork.

According to the results of 10 months of 2022, pork consumption increased by about 8% and approached 30 kg per person per year.

– How will production, exports/imports change compared to 2022?

We estimate production growth in 2023 at about 5%, based on investments made in 2019–2021.

Another trend in the development of pig breeding is the introduction of new capacities for deep cutting. This year, an enterprise is opening in the Voronezh region for almost 4 million heads. Enterprises in the Pskov region are being completed.

We do not expect any changes on imports. Pork imports are practically zero and have no impact on the domestic market.

In terms of exports in 2023, we consider it a good result to stay on the indicator in the range of 190-200 thousand tons. Further growth in Russian pork exports is possible only if the Chinese market opens up, because in all other markets that are available to us, we occupy a leading position. If the Chinese market is not opened, and there is no serious progress towards this, then we expect that exports will be at the level of previous years.

– What new projects, legislative changes are expected in the industry?

The most important legislative change is the law on animal by-products, which will come into force from March 2023. This law radically changes the scheme for handling manure and manure for agricultural producers.

Now the livestock breeders themselves will choose how to classify manure and manure - as by-products of animal husbandry or as waste.

If these are livestock by-products, then it is necessary to comply with all the requirements that are prescribed by the government, process manure and litter, and prevent environmental pollution. Rosselkhoznadzor will control the handling of livestock by-products. I note that this law will encourage enterprises to switch to new, advanced technologies for processing manure and manure.