Over the past three decades, pig farming has remained one of the most important components of global agricultural production. It has played a key role in providing the population with animal protein, shaping export flows in Asia and Europe, while remaining vulnerable to global epidemiological risks. Experts Club analysts have studied changes in the global pig population between 1990 and 2023.
“Pig farming is an industry where economics is closely intertwined with biological risks. It is extremely profitable in stable conditions, but it instantly suffers from any disruptions in the veterinary or logistics chain,” said Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
In the early 1990s, the total number of pigs in the world grew steadily, especially in China, which became the largest producer and consumer of pork. Mass industrial production, urbanization, and high demand for meat in the Asia-Pacific region stimulated capacity expansion. By the mid-2010s, the industry was at its peak: in some years, the number of pigs in the world exceeded one billion. This dynamic reflected the successful commercialization of the industry in China, Vietnam, Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Spain.
However, after 2018, the global pig industry faced one of the most significant challenges in recent decades — the African swine fever (ASF) pandemic. The epizootic, which began in China, spread to dozens of countries and led to a massive reduction in livestock numbers. In China alone, it is estimated that more than 100 million pigs were destroyed. This caused a meat shortage in the global market, price increases, a crisis in feed chains, and a reorientation of international trade.
“After the ASF outbreak, China began to actively reform the structure of pig farming, moving from small farms to large biosecure complexes. This also affected the global market, as demand for safe and controlled meat rose sharply,” Urakin explained.
Europe, in turn, found itself under pressure from environmental legislation and growing animal welfare requirements. In the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, the industry declined not only due to disease but also due to political decisions to reduce methane and nitrate emissions. In North America, the situation remained stable, although it was affected by tariff wars, especially in US-China relations.
Today, the global pig industry has partially recovered but remains in a phase of restructuring. China is gradually restoring its livestock population, but on new principles — with strict control of biosecurity, genetics, and investment in innovation. At the same time, more and more countries are investing in alternative proteins — cultured meat and plant-based pork substitutes — which poses long-term risks to the traditional industry.
“The future of pig farming is a symbiosis of biotechnology, sustainable management, and veterinary reliability. Those who cannot adapt will lose the market,” concluded Maxim Urakin.
A detailed analysis of the situation on the pork market and a visualization of global trends can be found in a special video review on the Experts Club YouTube channel.
AGRICULTURAL MARKET, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, EXPERTS_CLUB, PIG FARMING, URAKIN
Legislative initiatives to compensate industrial investments through taxes (draft laws 13414 and 13415) will require a transparent mechanism for applying for and controlling the targeted use of funds, said Taras Onyshchenko, lawyer at Barristers Commercial.
“These draft laws promise to be a ”historic step” in stimulating investment, in particular, in the construction of new industrial facilities. The initiative envisages the introduction of a mechanism for partial compensation of investment costs through tax benefits, which is a common and successful practice in the European Union. At the same time, there are certain challenges and implementation risks that will require careful attention,” he toldInterfax-Ukraine.
Among the positive expectations from the adoption of the draft law, Onyshchenko mentioned, in particular, a significant stimulation of economic growth, “since the proposed investment compensation mechanisms can significantly reduce risks and increase the profitability of projects, encouraging investment in the manufacturing sector.”
“The successful experience of the EU shows the effectiveness of such instruments, which can help both attract new capital and return investments that have been withdrawn or relocated. In addition, new and modernized production facilities will inevitably lead to the creation of new jobs and employment growth. Compensation for equipment costs will stimulate the introduction of modern technologies and increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian products on the global market,” he said.
At the same time, Onishchenko emphasizes that for the effective implementation of the proposed mechanisms, “it will be important to carefully calculate the potential fiscal impact on state budget revenues, especially in the short term.”
“For successful implementation, it is necessary to develop the most transparent, efficient and non-bureaucratic mechanism for submitting applications, reviewing them, verifying expenditures and monitoring the targeted use of investments, as the complexity of the procedures may offset all the benefits of compensation. It is also crucial to have clear definitions, in particular, the definition of “processing industry” and “equipment according to the UKTZED” to avoid ambiguities and abuses,” he said.
In addition, the lawyer believes that it is necessary to “ensure synergy so that the new mechanism complements, rather than duplicates or conflicts with existing investment support instruments.” Onishchenko reminded that Ukraine already uses a number of instruments to support business and investment. These include the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program, grants for processing up to UAH 8 million, benefits for participants in industrial parks, and state support for “projects with significant investments” (from EUR 12 million), which is provided under a separate law. In addition, there is a system of investment insurance against military and political risks.
“However, draft laws 13414/13415 are distinguished by their comprehensiveness and accessibility, which makes them unique among existing instruments. Unlike the aforementioned programs, they offer direct compensation through a wide range of taxes, significantly reduce the entry threshold for investors (starting from EUR 100 thousand) and, most importantly, apply to existing businesses. This approach creates a more flexible and comprehensive incentive tool compared to targeted programs or incentives that are mainly focused on very large investments or have specific conditions,” the lawyer said.
As reported, draft laws 13414 and 13415 are focused on supporting the processing industry, which is recognized as a key sector for value creation and economic growth in Ukraine. Investors are expected to be able to recover a significant portion of their investment costs. These costs cover a wide range of capital investments, including the construction of utility networks and related infrastructure, acquisition, construction, modernization and technical/technological re-equipment of buildings and structures, as well as the acquisition of equipment in accordance with the UKTZED and land plots.
The compensation mechanism will be implemented through a reduction in tax liabilities for major taxes. In particular, these include income tax, import VAT on equipment, import duty on equipment, property tax, and land tax. The amount of compensation will depend on the size of the investment project. The key innovation and significant advantage of this mechanism is that it will be available not only to brand new businesses, but also to existing ones that invest in the development and modernization of their production facilities.
The initiator and co-author of draft laws 13414 and 13415, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development Dmytro Kysylevskyi, said that the draft laws were registered jointly by 55 MPs from different factions and groups, including Danylo Hetmantsev, Andriy Motovylovets, and Dmytro Natalukha.
The draft laws No. 13414 and No. 13415 provide for amendments to the Tax and Customs Codes regarding compensation for investments through taxes.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1083281.html
Almost half of the cars subject to additional luxury taxation are Porsche models
131 cars subject to the luxury tax were imported to Ukraine in 5 months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Economy. Of these, 43% went to the capital and another 13% to Kyiv region. Porsche and Mercedes-Benz cars are in the highest demand in the luxury segment, accounting for 84% of all imported cars this year.
131 “luxury” cars were imported by Ukrainians from abroad in 5 months of 2025. This is 3.4 times less than in 5 months of last year – 448 cars. However, compared to 2021, the number of expensive cars increased by 42%.
A sharp increase in the number of cars that are additionally taxed occurred in 2023. Back then, 584 cars subject to the luxury tax were imported to Ukraine in 5 months.
Most of the cars came to Kyiv – 43% of the total number of newly imported cars in 2025. Another 13% went to Kyiv region and 9% to Odesa and Lviv regions.
47% of all cars are charged with electricity, and another 23% with electricity or gasoline. Premium gasoline cars take only third place: 19%.
63% of all cars imported to Ukraine that are subject to the luxury tax this year are Porsches. In particular, the Porsche Taycan and Porsche Cayenne E-hybrid are popular – 41% and 8% of all cars respectively.
Mercedes-Benz is in second place, with 21% of all cars. Mercedes-Benz s 450 and Mercedes-Benz s 580 4matic are the most popular among Ukrainians, accounting for 15% of the total number.
This year, the most expensive car was spotted in Kyiv – Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge at a price of USD 700 thousand. Also on our streets you can find Rolls-Royce Spectre, which costs USD 600 thousand.
Every year, the list of cars subject to transport tax is updated in Ukraine. Currently, there are 338 such models, but last year there were 468 more.
From January to April, owners of expensive cars paid UAH 87.2 million in tax. This is 12% or UAH 9.2 million more than in the same period last year. The highest number of taxpayers is expected to be in Kyiv – UAH 26.5 million.
This tax is paid by owners of cars manufactured no more than 5 years ago and costing more than UAH 3 million. Accordingly, the tax rate per premium car is UAH 25 thousand.
https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/luxury-car-fee
The dissenting opinion of two judges of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court (GC SC), Oleh Kryvenda and Mykola Mazur, regarding the sanctions not supported by evidence gives grounds for appealing and canceling the decrees of the President of Ukraine on their imposition, said Oleksandr Shadrin, attorney at Barristers.
Shadrin said that Barristers‘ lawyers, who supported the case of one of the clients, received a decision of the Supreme Court, which determined the dissenting opinion of the judges on sanctions cases and the possibility of appealing the imposed sanctions. The text of the dissenting opinion has not yet been published in the Unified Register of Court Decisions.
“The bottom line is that the number of sanction cases has increased, which are actually substituted for criminal proceedings, and most of the materials are being kept secret. Therefore, the dissenting opinion of the judges is resonant in terms of a complete change in the practice of considering sanctions cases, it says that each body must act within its powers and cannot substitute criminal proceedings with sanctions cases,” Shadrin said.
The lawyer believes that “this high-profile decision of the Supreme Court to completely change the practice of considering sanctions cases in Ukraine will enable judicial appeal against presidential decrees on sanctions.
“In the context of war and widespread use of sanctions, this position forms a fundamentally new field for law enforcement and human rights protection, in particular, it reinforces the idea of the need to ensure transparency, validity and judicial control over government discretion, even in areas related to national security,” the lawyer said.
According to him, the dissenting opinion of the judges proves that even with the president’s broad discretion in sanctions policy, his actions must remain within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law, and the courts are obliged to check whether decisions are arbitrary and sanctions are unjustified.
“In this particular case, the state did not provide adequate evidence of a threat from the person against whom the sanctions were imposed, and therefore the claim should have been satisfied. This is the first known case when the judges of the Supreme Court publicly declare the need to satisfy the appeal and lawsuit against the Presidential Sanctions Decree, questioning the unconditional nature of such a mechanism as sanctions,” Shadrin said.
According to the lawyer, the position of the two judges “may become the basis for legal discussion, public control over the activities of the authorities, a tool for protecting the rights of persons who consider sanctions against them to be groundless and unjustified, and may also be taken into account by the initiators of the sanctions to assess the prospects for their lifting.”
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1083242.html
In January-May 2025, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products by 20% compared to the same period last year, to $77.971 million. This is evidenced by the data of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
Copper exports also increased by 17.8% to $38.762 million over the same period. In May, the volume of imports amounted to $16.245 million, and exports – $9.635 million.
For comparison, in 2024, the volume of copper imports remained virtually unchanged compared to 2023 and amounted to $140.797 million. At the same time, exports increased by 22.4% to $88.237 million.
In 2023, despite the war, Ukraine doubled its copper imports to $140.795 million (+120% yoy), while exports decreased by 20.1% to $72.078 million. The upward trend in copper trade in 2025 indicates a recovery in demand for the metal from both the domestic market and foreign buyers.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloys, medicine and other industries.
imports, exports, copper
“Ukrnafta is studying the world’s best high-tech clean tech solutions to apply them in Ukraine: a team of specialists has familiarized themselves with the practical application of new equipment at a Norwegian state-owned oil producer.
The company is currently working on the reconstruction of the oil and produced water treatment system at one of its regional business units.
As part of this project, Ukrnafta is cooperating, in particular, with Ennox Technology & Partners, a Norwegian leader in clean technology that develops revolutionary treatment plants.
This equipment works more efficiently than market analogues, minimizes environmental impact and improves the quality of produced water treatment to maintain reservoir pressure.
A group of Ukrnafta’s upstream specialists visited the Norwegian state-owned company’s production facilities to test the latest Ennox Technology & Partners systems to see firsthand the high quality of modern clean tech solutions in the industry.
Engineers and test lab teams of Norwegian companies demonstrated sustainable solutions that will help build sustainable and efficient systems for Ukrainian production.
“Ukrnafta is Ukraine’s largest oil producer and operator of a national network of filling stations. In March 2024, the company took over the management of Glusco’s assets and operates a total of 545 filling stations – 461 owned and 84 managed.
The company is implementing a comprehensive program to restore operations and update the format of its filling stations. Since February 2023, the company has been issuing its own fuel coupons and NAFTAKarta cards, which are sold to legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share.
In November 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer to the state a share of corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is currently managed by the Ministry of Defense.
