Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

How global chicken population has grown over past 30 years – study by Experts Club

Over the past few decades, poultry farming has become the most dynamic and widespread type of animal husbandry in the world. Chickens, the main link in this industry, have gone far beyond traditional subsistence farming and have become the main source of animal protein for billions of people. Experts Club analysts have studied global changes in chicken breeding between 1990 and 2023, recording unprecedented growth and structural transformations in the industry.

“Poultry farming has become a symbol of the new consumer economy: fast production, low cost, adaptability to global demand. That is why chicken is replacing other types of meat around the world,” said Maksim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.

In the early 1990s, the total number of chickens in the world was estimated at 10 billion (in thousands of heads). Even then, this figure exceeded the number of any other type of farm animal. However, the real leap forward took place in 2000–2020. By 2023, the total number of chickens in the world exceeded 29 billion, i.e., it almost tripled in three decades. This means that there are approximately 3.6 chickens per person on the planet, considering the total world population of over 8 billion.

This explosive growth can be explained by several key factors. First and foremost is economic efficiency. Chicken is the cheapest meat to produce, requiring significantly less feed, water, and time to raise than pork or beef. In the context of global urbanization, rising incomes, and changing eating habits, chicken has become a “universal” product: it is consumed equally in the US, Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Egypt.

In addition to economics, religious and cultural factors are equally important. Unlike pork and beef, which are restricted in consumption due to religious prohibitions in Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism, chicken is acceptable in almost all traditions.

This makes it a globally universal source of protein. “Chicken is a compromise protein. It is acceptable everywhere, inexpensive, quick to process, and that is why it has become the standard of the 21st century,” Urakin emphasized. Technical innovations play an equally important role.

From the 1990s to the 2020s, the poultry industry has undergone a technological revolution: automated incubators, genetically improved broilers, controlled growing conditions, biosecurity, and strict quality monitoring have become the norm in large agricultural countries. This has significantly increased the industry’s productivity. On average, the cycle of raising a broiler to market size has been reduced from 70 to 42 days.

Geographically, the largest chicken producers are China, the US, Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Russia. At the same time, African countries are experiencing rapid growth in domestic production, focused on both food security and reducing dependence on imports.

However, the growth dynamics of the livestock population also carries risks. The increasing density of chicken farming creates an increased epidemiological burden, which is particularly evident in the form of outbreaks of avian influenza. In addition, critics point to animal welfare issues, excessive use of antibiotics, and methane emissions from poultry farms.

“Modern poultry farming must find a balance between productivity and society’s ethical requirements. This is a new challenge that the industry has not faced before,” said Maksim Urakin.

In the coming years, further growth in chicken consumption is expected, particularly in low-income countries, as well as an expansion of exports from Brazil, Thailand, and Ukraine. However, alternative proteins — plant-based and cell-based products already entering the market — may pose increasing competition to poultry farming.

For a more detailed overview of trends in poultry farming and graphs showing changes in livestock numbers, see the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel.

 

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“Club of Experts” gathers winners of VII All-Ukrainian Wine Tasting Competition on May 18

On May 18, 2023, the capital’s Club of Experts will host a bright event for wine lovers – Wine Evening “Consumer Tasting of the Best Craft Wines of Ukraine-2023”. The event will feature the products of the best Ukrainian winemakers based on the results of the VIII All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition “Variety and Terroir. Micro winemaking. Unbreakable”, which took place on April 1, 2023.

According to Natalia Blagopoluchna, President of the Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, the Wine Evening will create an opportunity for each guest to try themselves as a wine expert and taster, gain rich experience and taste the unique flavors of the best Ukrainian wines.

“Wine Evening provides a great opportunity to discover the diversity of Ukrainian wine. You may already be familiar with some of these brands, but the tasting is a chance to taste them in a new light, compare them with other wines, listen to the experts’ opinions and gain new knowledge about winemaking,” she said.

In his turn, the founder of the Club of Experts, Maksim Urakin, emphasized that the Tasting Evening is an event where you can meet like-minded people, communicate with experts, exchange experience, ideas and impressions. It is a place where new business relationships and partnerships are created, new ideas and projects emerge.

“Our competition for the Best Wine of the Wine Evening is of great interest to the guests of the evening. The producer of the most delicious wine, determined by the participants of the event, will receive a Diploma from the Club of Experts. This competition not only raises the mood, but also creates friendly competition between producers, encouraging them to continuously improve,” he emphasized.
In addition, according to Maksim Urakin, today more and more people in the world are showing interest in craft wines and want to learn more about the history and technology of this beverage. Events such as the Wine Evening are becoming important and necessary, they help to develop wine culture, open new horizons for winemakers and consumers, and make a huge contribution to the formation of the Ukrainian wine market.

Guests will be invited to taste the winning wines accompanied by craft gastronomy. The program of the evening includes the best sparkling rosé wine of 2021 from TM My Wine and Eduard Gorodetsky, the best Riesling of 2021 from Vladimir Simakin, Chardonnay of 2022 from TM Babchuk Winery, and many others. Full list of winners of the VIII All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition “Variety and Terroir. Micro winemaking. Unbreakable”:
1.    Nomination “Sparkling wines” – “Sparkling pink, 2021”, TM “My Wine”, Eduard Gorodetsky
2.    Nomination “Best Riesling” – “Riesling, 2021”, Vladimir Simakin
3.    Nomination “Best Chardonnay” – “Chardonnay, 2022”, TM “Babchuk Winery”
4.    Nomination “White Local Variety” – “Zagrei, 2022”, National Scientific Center “V.E. Tairov Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking
5.    Nomination “Orange wines” – “Orange, 2021”, TM “Kovacs Wines”
6.    Nomination “Pink wines” – Pinot Noir, 2021″, TM “My Wine”, Eduard Gorodetsky
7.    Nomination “Best Pinot Noir” – “Pinot Noir, 2020”, TM “46 Parallel” – gold medal
8.    Nomination “Best Merlot” – “Merlot, 2020”, TM “NAROVYLO WINERY”
9.    Nomination “Best Cabernet Sauvignon” – “Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021”, TM “Mon Crafto”
10.    Nomination “Red local variety” – “Aliberne, 2020”, TM “NAROVYLO WINERY”
11.    Nomination “Red Blend” – “KS/KF/Merlot, 2020”, TM “NAROVYLO WINERY” – Grand Prix of the Competition (the best wine of the Competition), 100 points from the Chairman of the Jury Ricardo Nunez!
12.    Nomination “Dessert wines” – “Muscat of the Carpathians, 2014”, TM “Kovach Wines”

It should be noted that each nomination represents unique wines that have been recognized as the best in their categories.
The cost of participation in the event is 1000 UAH, which includes tasting of all presented wines and delicious culinary accompaniments from craft chefs. This event will be a real treat for gourmets and wine lovers, as well as a great opportunity for winemakers to present their products to a wide range of professionals and wine connoisseurs.

The organizers of the Wine Evening are:
1.    Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers;
2.    Club of experts.

Information Partners: Interfax-Ukraine news agency; Open4business Internet portal.
General partner: UKRSADVINPROM.

Speaker of the Wine Evening: President of the Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, wine expert, head of the First Sommelier School in Ukraine – Natalia Blagopoluchna.

Address of the event: 51/1a Tyutyunnyk St., Kyiv, Ukraine
Phone number for accreditation 0661480354

Do not miss the unique opportunity to join the Wine Evening “Consumer tasting of the best craft wines of Ukraine-2023”. For those who appreciate the culture of wine, this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of winemaking, meet those who share your passion, and discover new horizons of taste.

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