Main points
- Purchase prices for pigs in Ukraine may rise to 70–71 hryvnia per kilogram, while in Europe they have fallen to their lowest since 2022.
- The spread of African swine fever creates additional uncertainty, and stabilization is only possible through a comprehensive approach, including vaccination and enhanced biosecurity.
Live pigs are getting more expensive / Photo Unsplash
Next week, the purchase prices for live pigs in Ukraine may rise to 70–71 hryvnia per kilogram. At the same time, falling pork prices in Europe and the risks of the spread of African swine fever are creating new challenges for the market.
What is pushing pig prices up?
Analysts have published a forecast of purchase prices for live pigs for the period from March 2 to 8, 2026, the Meat Industry Association reports. The average price level is expected to be 70-71 hryvnia per kilogram, which indicates a likely increase in prices on the domestic market.
At the same time, the situation on the European market remains a deterrent. Pork prices in European countries have fallen to their lowest levels since 2022, and this trend, according to experts, may affect the Ukrainian sector as early as March due to the close interconnection of the markets.
An additional factor of uncertainty remains the spread of African swine fever (ASF). The industry emphasizes that only a comprehensive approach that includes vaccination, enhanced biosecurity, veterinary monitoring and animal movement control can stabilize production and make prices more predictable.
Please note! According to European trading platforms, on the German VEZG exchange, the price for half-carcasses of conditioned pigs for the next week is 1.55 euros per kilogram (79.27 hryvnias per kilogram), and for half-carcasses of sows – 0.78 euros per kilogram (39.89 hryvnias per kilogram) excluding value added tax.
In Poland, the average price of live pigs, according to the CennikRolnicze exchange, is PLN 4.86 per kilogram (UAH 58.9 per kilogram), while the market range ranges from PLN 4.00 to PLN 5.70 per kilogram (UAH 48.48–69.08 per kilogram).
Interesting! According to experts, the further dynamics of Ukrainian prices will largely depend on European quotations and the epizootic situation in the region.
Pork prices in Europe have fallen to their lowest since 2022: what influenced this?
-
The European pork market is facing falling prices due to overproduction and increasing carcass weight, as well as the epizootic situation with African swine fever.
-
The average carcass weight has increased to 95.28 kg, and pork prices in the EU are declining, although the rate of decline slowed at the end of January, in particular due to the epizootic situation in Spain.