Jim Long Pork Commentary – May 29, 2023

The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB) in cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is preparing a series of training videos that will demonstrate the best biosecurity practices of leading domestic pig farms.

By September 15, 2023, the EU is gradually lifting the exceptional and temporary safeguard measures adopted on May 2, 2023, on imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine under the exceptional safeguards of the Autonomous Trade Measures Regulation.

On June 1, 2023, a study tour program to the United States began for ten member companies of the Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB) with the support of the USAID Agricultural and Rural Development (AGRO) Program.

Viral diseases and bacteria pose a major threat to the global pig and poultry industry, as they not only cause suffering to infected animals, but also lead to large economic losses for farmers.

This is the fifth region affected by African swine fever (ASF) in the country.

The new regulation extends the indication of the origin of fresh, chilled, and frozen pork, sheep, goat, and poultry meat to non-prepackaged meat.

Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solsky called on the EU to lift all restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products imposed in early May 2023. He said this during a speech at a meeting of the EU Council on Agriculture and Fisheries (AgriFish), which took place on May 29-30 in Brussels, the press service of the ministry reports.

A two-day simulation exercise, a training on biosecurity for private sector and workshop for haunters were held on 23-26 May within the framework Regional Programme on Animal Health under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). 

Due to the war, the Ukrainian pig industry lost about 12% of its livestock, and the domestic market lost more than 100 thousand tons of pork in 2022. At the same time, the sector remains important for providing food for the population and economic activity in rural areas.

The widespread incidence of powdery mildew, Septoria, brown leaf rust, dark brown, reticular spot, root rot, helminthosporiosis, focal rhynchosporiosis, pyrenophorosis and other diseases has been detected in grain crops.

Last week, Ukrainian farmers sowed 585.2 thou hectares of grains and pulses, most of them in Chernihiv region (94.5 thou hectares). Poltava region planted the largest area of spring crops - 626 thou hectares.

This facility is the first of its kind in the United States and will allow scientists to study and diagnose critical animal diseases.

The first three German slaughter and processing plants were re-approved by the Korean authorities for export to South Korea.

The number of African Swine Fever outbreaks in pigs and cases reported in wild boar in the European Union fell significantly in 2022 compared to 2021, according to a report recently published by the European Food Safety Authority.

Experts note that there is a great need to develop the agro-processing sector, which will contribute to the recovery of Ukraine's economy and provide an opportunity to attract funds from the export of goods or raw materials. 

The website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has a new section «GrainUkraine — Statistics of Agricultural Markets», which contains data on the main indicators of the balance of key crops and processed products on world markets. This is an integration of various statistical information, exports, imports, consumption, production, including monthly USDA WASDE reports

Pigs only have sweat glands on their snout and are incapable of regulating their body temperature through perspiration. It makes them sensitive to high temperatures, and even small temperature increases cause behavioral changes. A Dutch study from 2005* showed changes in behavior and physiology in a group of 60 kg finishers.

The protectionist measures taken by a number of European countries regarding the transportation of Ukrainian agricultural products have hit both Ukraine and international food security. This conclusion was reached by experts of the German Economic Group, which advises the Ukrainian government, Ukrinform reports.