REUTERS
This was due to the ongoing wide geographical diversification and consolidation in new markets after the Russian one was lost.
Exports of Ukrainian meat products in January-June 2019 (H1) grew by 20% year-over-year (y-o-y), to US$364 million.
"In the first half of 2019, exports of meat products rose by almost 20% from January-June 2018, up to $364 million," the press service of the National Scientific Center "Institute of Agrarian Economy" said on August 12, referring to its deputy director Mykola Pugachov.
According to the expert, Ukraine has managed to increase the exports due to the ongoing wide geographical diversification and consolidation in new markets after the Russian market was lost.
"If Russia held the position of the main importer of Ukrainian meat and offal back in 2015, [the produce] supplies to the markets of Europe, Asia and the CIS have prevailed since 2017," the press service said.
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Saudi Arabia became a major importer of Ukrainian meat over the six months of 2019, with a 21% share in Ukraine's total export. In addition, the Netherlands' purchases of the produce accounted for 14.9%, those of Slovakia for 9.1%, Belarus for 5%, and Azerbaijan and Iraq for 4.8% each. Their aggregate share is about 60% in all exports of Ukrainian meat products in monetary terms.
In addition, the ongoing increase in poultry meat exports from 2016 has contributed to the boost in exports of meat from Ukraine. So, poultry meat shipments in H1 rose by 38% y-o-y to 211,000 tonnes. At the same time, the produce exports, in monetary terms over the period under review, grew by 28% to $307 million.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine in 2018 reduced pork exports by over 33.4%, while boosting poultry shipments abroad by 21%.