"The pig farming industry began 2025 with a record low number of pigs — less than 2.9 million heads," explains Oleksandra Bondarska, head of the analytical department of the Association "Pig Breeders of Ukraine." "This has directly affected production results. Although the number of pigs in agricultural enterprises has increased somewhat, it is too early to talk about a stable recovery. This is rather seasonal fluctuations that we observe every year."
An equally important factor is foreign trade. Despite a significant increase in pork imports — according to preliminary results for the first eight months of the year, it exceeded the entire volume of 2024 by 6.5 times — it still does not have a significant impact on price dynamics.
"Today, imports are equivalent to only 5% of industrial pork production or less than 3% of the total volume," the expert notes. "So the domestic market is mainly dependent on domestic supply."
Seasonal factors also played a role.
"In summer, pork prices always rise somewhat. In hot weather, animals gain weight worse..."