The meat and canned meat market in Ukraine: 2020–2025

Abstract

In the conditions of martial law in Ukraine, ensuring food security becomes particularly relevant. At the same time, hostilities have significantly complicated the operation of the agro-industrial complex, causing losses of live­stock and interruptions in the functioning of the  processing industry. Under such crisis conditions, the demand for long-term storage products is growing sharply – in particular, canned meat for the needs of the army, internally displaced persons and humanitarian programs. There is an urgent need to modernize the production of canned meat by introducing innovative technologies and using environmentally friendly heat-resistant packaging materials, as well as improving product quality and safety control systems in accordance with international standards (ISO 22000, HACCP). This creates the prerequisites for increasing the competitiveness of domestic products and expanding their export potential. The current state of the industry has been analyzed and key trends have been identified. The scientific hypothesis is that the modern Ukrainian canned meat market, despite existing problems, has significant development potential, provided that innovative thermal processing and packaging technologies are introduced, international food safety standards are met, and manufacturers flexibly adapt to current market trends. The study used statistics (FAO, OECD, State Statistics Service, State Customs Service), regulatory documents, and scientific sources. General scientific methods of analysis and logical generalization were applied. Data processing was carried out in MS Excel. It has been established that despite the challenges, the production of canned meat is growing. Poultry meat products are leading, and Ukraine has become an exporter of chicken. The identified trends have not only market, but also strategic significance in the context of modern challenges: canned meat serves as a product with high suitability for stockpiling, long-term storage, and transportation, which makes them critically important for stable food supply of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, the improvement of production and packaging techno­logies, guaranteed safety, and predictability of the raw material base directly affect the reliability of supply, quality standardization, and the ability of the industry to promptly meet the needs of the defense sector. The study confirmed the industry’s potential, provided there are innovations, comp­liance with standards, and adaptation to the market. The obtained results can serve as a basis for forming strategic guidelines for the development of Ukraine’s canned meat industry, which will contribute to the modernization of production, increase competitiveness, and strengthen the country’s food security.