State of meat production and consumption in Ukraine

Abstract

Background. Production of cattle meat is reduced annually in Ukraine, and it has been unprofitable for the last 20 years. However, the meat industry in our country has significant reserves and great prospects for development, the implementation of which is possible only if negative phenomena and processes in the agricultural sector are overcome.
The aim of the article is the study of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the meat production in Ukraine; identification of key factors influencing it.
Material and methods. The following general scientific methods of studying economic processes have been applied: analysis, synthesis, abstraction, deduction, monographic as well as special methods: abstract logic, balance, statistical and calculating and constructive.
Results. Over the last year, after a sharp drop in meat production in 2015, some increase in total meat production is observed.  Production of beef, veal and pork has reduced significantly and of poultry has increased. Meat production in private households has been decreasing and in agricultural enterprises has been increasing mainly due to poultry. Most problematic is the beef market, which shows steady constant reduction. A clear trend is evident in the export of meat. Thus, in 2015 the export of poultry meat increased by 46 % compared to 2014, and beef exports in 2016 fell by half compared with the corresponding period in 2015.
In Ukraine in 2015 the import of pork reduced 8 times. Poultry meat and its products constitute the largest share in the import structure covers – 93 %. Imports of pork fell more than 8 times, and beef more than 2 times.
Given the prevalence of poultry meat in total, and the fact that much of the output is produced by private farms, implementation of a set of the following organizational and economic measures is expedient: directing state aid to support pork and beef producers; promote wide distribution network covering small rural settlements; support of the initiatives to implement an effective relationship between households and agricultural enterprises to sell young cattle for fattening; incentives to attract foreign and domestic investment in the meat industry.
Conclusion. The study highlighted the trends in the market of meat in Ukraine and showed that the sector is developing mainly towards production and processing of poultry meat. The priority directions and prospects of development of meat production in Ukraine, namely focusing on the production of pork and beef meat, have been defined.