After “defrosting” at the end of February, prices for slaughter-weight pigs continued to move upward in the first half of March. This week, most purchase prices gravitated toward UAH 73–74 per kg, although slightly lower and higher quotes were also recorded in some cases. The weighted average market price reached UAH 73.25/kg, which is 2.9% higher than the previous week.
At the same time, regional price differences across the country have become less pronounced. Although higher prices are still more common in the eastern and southern regions, the gap between regional averages currently does not exceed UAH 1/kg.
While representatives of the meat processing sector note that trade remains relatively sluggish and competition for consumers is intense — with occasional reports of price reductions aimed at stimulating sales — most market participants expect procurement prices to continue rising.
Against this background, UAH 75/kg is considered a key reference point for the next round of market negotiations. This price level was actively discussed during previous price talks and has already appeared sporadically in transactions this week.
Additional signals supporting the positive market trend include continued increases in poultry prices and a gradual recovery of pork prices in EU countries. Furthermore, the earlier Easter this year and improving weather conditions are expected to stimulate market activity in the near future.
