The situation in the sector was outlined by Oksana Yurchenko, President of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, in a podcast on the “Minselo” project platform.
According to industry estimates, adapting industrial pig production to the new requirements may require about UAH 12 billion in investments. This includes facility modernisation, changes in housing systems, ventilation, microclimate control, and ensuring the required space per animal.
At the same time, the sector notes that there are currently no effective state financial support programmes for such changes.
“The sector understands the need to move toward European standards, but the issues of resources and time remain critical. A significant share of the burden falls on the producer,” Oksana Yurchenko says.
European requirements set clear standards for space allowance, microclimate, access to feed and water, and the ability of animals to express natural behaviours. Some of these standards are stricter than practices previously used in Ukraine, meaning that many farms need additional equipment or reconstruction.
For new farms, compliance with the requirements is mandatory from the outset, while existing enterprises must simultaneously comply with the new rules and find resources for modernisation.
Pork producers support harmonisation with EU standards as a strategic development path but stress the need for realistic implementation mechanisms. Given wartime conditions, limited access to financing, and general economic risks, the sector speaks about the need for additional transitional tools or support programmes for operating farms.
Oksana Yurchenko emphasises that compliance with European standards is an important prerequisite for future integration into the EU market, but the process requires a systematic approach so that adaptation does not lead to a decline in production.
More details on the industry’s position are available in the full podcast with Oksana Yurchenko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YixZyNUehNk