This was reported by Oleksandra Bondarska, Vice President of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, during the Agro Ukraine Summit, a major international agricultural event that brought together key stakeholders in Ukraine's agricultural and food sectors in Kyiv.
In 2024, purchase prices on the industrial live pig market were significantly lower than in 2023, and the average for the year was almost 21% lower, Oleksandra Bondarska noted. The situation in 2025 is more optimistic, says the expert, as prices have indeed recovered after such a dramatic fall in 2024. However, despite the improvement, there are fewer market operators.
‘Why are operators leaving the market? In fact, there are many factors. The most telling one in this case is the economic aspect of last year,’ says Oleksandra Bondarska.
According to her, the rise in the cost of the key expense item — feed ingredients — has affected the cost price, which has been growing quarterly for over a year. ‘The economic component has a significant impact on the willingness of operators to resume work or increase production,’ says Oleksandra Bondarska.
‘In addition, projects for the restoration and/or development of enterprises require the involvement of a larger number of qualified personnel, which is currently in short supply. Thus, the personnel shortage, which was very noticeable even before the start of the full-scale invasion, has undoubtedly now reached its peak,’ adds Oleksandra Bondarska.
Moreover, according to her, enterprises are faced with the task of forming well-coordinated teams of versatile employees with a wide range of competencies, which means that today's agribusiness requires quick decisions, relevant practical knowledge, and continuous professional development.
"That is why I would like to draw your attention to one of the most promising initiatives in the field of professional education for agribusiness — AgriAcademy.org. This is a unique educational platform that brings together the agribusiness community of Ukraine and provides modern, practical knowledge in the form of free online courses developed by the best experts from Ukraine and around the world.
It is designed for professionals in the agricultural sector: business owners, managers, farmers, agronomists, veterinarians, and anyone interested in practical knowledge and increasing profitability," said Oleksandra Bondarska.
The platform already offers 23 free online courses in Ukrainian, developed with the support of the EBRD. The platform's goal is to improve the Ukrainian agribusiness community's access to professional skills, successful business cases, and innovative solutions that meet today's market challenges.
‘This is almost 300 hours of training, ranging from basic to specialised topics. After completing the course, participants receive an official certificate, which, incidentally, can even be credited in the higher education system as part of informal learning,’ adds Oleksandra Bondarska.