Imports of chilled and frozen pork (UKT ZED 0203) exceeded 6,000 tons in September, which is 31% more than a month earlier and is the highest figure since January 2022, according to the Ukrainian Pig Farmers Association (ASU).
“Unlike last year, foreign supplies in 2025 picked up significantly in response to weaker domestic pork supply and higher prices, and in the second half of the year, average monthly imports of pork from abroad reached 2022 levels. At the same time, importers did not exceed the record figure of 6.6 thousand tons recorded in January 2022,” the industry association noted.
According to analysts, the stimulus for increased import activity was both high prices for Ukrainian pork and the exhaustion of quotas for duty-free pork supplies from the EU.
“Since this year’s seasonal decline in domestic pork supply coincided with the effects of a reduction in the country’s pig population, prices for Ukrainian pork are significantly higher and have remained at a consistently high level for a long time. In contrast, the average customs value of imported pork in September fell to $2.56 per kg (-2.2% compared to August). Since the vast majority of such products come from EU countries, the exhaustion of quotas for duty-free imports encouraged some operators to build up stocks of products before the forced “price increase” due to customs tariffs,” the experts explained.
The ASU stated that in the first three quarters of 2025, Ukraine imported 20.8 thousand tons of chilled and frozen pork (UKT ZED 0203) worth $53.2 million, of which only 142 tons were imported from Canada, while the rest of the consignments were imported from the EU. Therefore, further imports of pork from there will be subject to import duties: chilled — 12%, frozen — 10%.
At the same time, a number of importers are convinced that duties will not stop the flow of pork as long as it is economically justified.
“European pork prices have been weakening since the beginning of July and fell by 6% in September due to seasonal changes, increased domestic supply, and difficulties with foreign trade, in particular, China’s introduction of 62% duties on pork imports from EU countries. Therefore, according to some operators, the price pressure from these factors may offset the aforementioned increase in import costs,” the association emphasized.
At the same time, other players are convinced that against the backdrop of a significant reduction in domestic pork supply in Ukraine compared to last year, the pressure on prices from imports and the impact on the market will not be too critical. Thus, if the pace of supplies remains at the level of the third quarter of this year, the total annual imports of pork will not exceed 35,000 tons. In this case, it will account for no more than 5-6% of the estimated domestic supply of pork, which is a quarter less than in 2022 and 15% less than in 2021. Therefore, the vast majority of pork on the domestic market continues to be supplied by Ukrainian producers.
Higher prices on the domestic pork market somewhat slowed down the shipment of Ukrainian pork abroad in August and September, but the total export volume for the first nine months of the year exceeded 2,000 tons, amounting to almost $6.2 million. The key trading destinations remain Hong Kong, the UAE, Bahrain, and Malaysia, but businesses and government agencies are actively working together to open up a number of new markets, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, and others,” summarized the Ukrainian Pig Farmers Association.
