Steep rise in Ukrainian poultry output

Ukraine is likely to produce 550,000 metric tonnes of poultry this year, compared with 419,200 tonnes in 2005, according to a report published in Kiev by the Poultry Rearers' Union of Ukraine.

Ukraine's poultry output fell to 419,200 tonnes in 2005 from 515,000 tonnes in 2004 due to culling and falling demand because of bird flu, but the industry is recovering this year, the report said.

The proportion of poultry in the total amount of meat consumed by Ukrainians this year is likely to increase to 50% from 12% in 2000.

By 2010 Ukraine plans to be producing 800,000 tonnes of poultry a year, including 500,000 tonnes of broiler chicken meat.

The report said in the last few years, despite bird flu, a number of serious investors entered the poultry market and considerable financial resources had been invested in upgrading the existing facilities and creating new ones.

Currently only six kilograms of poultry is consumed every year per head of population in Ukraine, compared with 13.6 kilograms in 1990, so there is great potential for development, the report said.

Editor WorldPoultry