Last week Norman Bagley (Head of Policy at AIMS) and I met with Mykola Babenko and Vladyslav Kashmar from the Meat Industry Association of Ukraine: Click Here
We heard about how several abattoirs and processing plants have been completely destroyed and the need for post-war investment in the country’s infrastructure.
Mykola mentioned how much the Prime Minister’s visit to Kyiv and to the President had meant to the entire country and their hope that the support for the military would continue with investment from industry and Government as part of rebuilding the country.
As we know, with the exception of lamb, the UK is not self sufficient in red meat or poultry. In Ukraine, with the exception of poultry, they too are not self sufficient in red meats (they don’t eat a lot of lamb).
Prior to war the President set out a strategy to use the principal output from Ukrainian farming, grain, to ‘fuel’ the expansion of their pig & poultry sector. In respect to pigs they had ambitions to grow the national herd significantly (possibly by as much as 4 times).
The country’s main poultry producer, MHP, is already assured to the British Retail Consortium’s Standard for Food Safety which means that they can supply into the UK’s supermarkets. (Remember, the UK isn't self sufficient in any meat or poultry other than lamb)
We note from Gov.UK that the UK already have export certificates for products into Ukraine in place for the following:
Egg products
Bovine Semen
Pet food, animal fee and feed additives for non-productive animals
Live Pigs for breeding
Ovine Semen
Caprine Semen
Poultry meat and poultry meat products
Mechanically deboned poultry
Animal feed and feed additives for productive animals
Day old birds and hatching eggs
Porcine Semen
Fresh porcine meat
Artificial collagen casings
We understand that the Ukrainians need animal genetics and breeding skills as well as support to develop overseas markets.
Mykola said, in one of his emails to us:
Do you think is it possible to create an international fund for the support and development of the meat industry in Ukraine? This would not only restore the operation of existing enterprises, but could create dozens of new enterprises with foreign investment. From our side, I even already understand what and how to do to guarantee and protect investments in Ukraine in our industry. Please discuss with your Government and the members of your association what they think about the creation of a fund for the renovation of the meat industry of Ukraine and participation in its development.
For our part, we can promote Ukraine as a country where we can export to as well as invest in. However, we are keen to know whether there are plans from the Government for post-war investment and where this is likely to be focused.
We know of businesses here in the UK who manufacture temporary abattoirs and cutting plants in a modular format and which could, with UK Government support, no doubt be exported and constructed in Ukraine to keep their meat production / supply chains functioning.
We also note that as a result of the war, tariffs on poultry imports from Ukraine have been removed.
In October 2020 a trade agreement was signed between the UK and Ukraine which the Prime Minister hailed the agreement as proof that Britain was Ukraine’s “most fervent supporter.”
Norman and I as well as Mykola, Vladyslav and the members of the Meat Industry Association of Ukraine, are keen to see the UK’s fervent support for the rebuilding of their farming and meat industry and have asked how the UK Government may be able to assist.
We have heard from Defra that there will be an economic recovery package for Ukraine as the UK sees the country as a strategic trading partner. We also know that Ukraine grows Soyabeans and if they could increase production post the war then there could be a good solution for feed here in the UK away from the reliance on Brazilian and it's impacts on the rainforests.
I spoke with Mykola on Tuesday this week after bombing resumed in the West of the country. He and his family are safe, well but also scared.
We heard about how several abattoirs and processing plants have been completely destroyed and the need for post-war investment in the country’s infrastructure.
Mykola mentioned how much the Prime Minister’s visit to Kyiv and to the President had meant to the entire country and their hope that the support for the military would continue with investment from industry and Government as part of rebuilding the country.
As we know, with the exception of lamb, the UK is not self sufficient in red meat or poultry. In Ukraine, with the exception of poultry, they too are not self sufficient in red meats (they don’t eat a lot of lamb).
Prior to war the President set out a strategy to use the principal output from Ukrainian farming, grain, to ‘fuel’ the expansion of their pig & poultry sector. In respect to pigs they had ambitions to grow the national herd significantly (possibly by as much as 4 times).
The country’s main poultry producer, MHP, is already assured to the British Retail Consortium’s Standard for Food Safety which means that they can supply into the UK’s supermarkets. (Remember, the UK isn't self sufficient in any meat or poultry other than lamb)
We note from Gov.UK that the UK already have export certificates for products into Ukraine in place for the following:
Egg products
Bovine Semen
Pet food, animal fee and feed additives for non-productive animals
Live Pigs for breeding
Ovine Semen
Caprine Semen
Poultry meat and poultry meat products
Mechanically deboned poultry
Animal feed and feed additives for productive animals
Day old birds and hatching eggs
Porcine Semen
Fresh porcine meat
Artificial collagen casings
We understand that the Ukrainians need animal genetics and breeding skills as well as support to develop overseas markets.
Mykola said, in one of his emails to us:
Do you think is it possible to create an international fund for the support and development of the meat industry in Ukraine? This would not only restore the operation of existing enterprises, but could create dozens of new enterprises with foreign investment. From our side, I even already understand what and how to do to guarantee and protect investments in Ukraine in our industry. Please discuss with your Government and the members of your association what they think about the creation of a fund for the renovation of the meat industry of Ukraine and participation in its development.
For our part, we can promote Ukraine as a country where we can export to as well as invest in. However, we are keen to know whether there are plans from the Government for post-war investment and where this is likely to be focused.
We know of businesses here in the UK who manufacture temporary abattoirs and cutting plants in a modular format and which could, with UK Government support, no doubt be exported and constructed in Ukraine to keep their meat production / supply chains functioning.
We also note that as a result of the war, tariffs on poultry imports from Ukraine have been removed.
In October 2020 a trade agreement was signed between the UK and Ukraine which the Prime Minister hailed the agreement as proof that Britain was Ukraine’s “most fervent supporter.”
Norman and I as well as Mykola, Vladyslav and the members of the Meat Industry Association of Ukraine, are keen to see the UK’s fervent support for the rebuilding of their farming and meat industry and have asked how the UK Government may be able to assist.
We have heard from Defra that there will be an economic recovery package for Ukraine as the UK sees the country as a strategic trading partner. We also know that Ukraine grows Soyabeans and if they could increase production post the war then there could be a good solution for feed here in the UK away from the reliance on Brazilian and it's impacts on the rainforests.
I spoke with Mykola on Tuesday this week after bombing resumed in the West of the country. He and his family are safe, well but also scared.