Ukraine: Live hog market finishes year with cost at 44.2 UAH/kg

2018 came to the end without significant price fluctuations in the live hog market. At the late December meat-processing plants bought pork shanks at 43-45 UAH/kg, and the average price stayed at the level of 44.2 UAH/kg. This was reported by the Association of hog breeders in Ukraine.

Meat processors explained insignificant gain of the pork prices by weak demand on the pork purchasing within pre-holiday time than it was expected.

Some market operators did not feel any revival in demand. Those operators who noticed pork sale increase estimated it by 15-30% what considerably conceded to expectations.

The reason of such sluggish trade was said as not only limitation of solvency of final consumers to other types of meat and fish at the wish of not to frighten off the nest year symbol.

As well as weather conditions were the next reason that impeded to implement plans of purchasing and sale, especially they strongly influenced work of the enterprises in the central and northeast regions of the country.

Most of the meat market operators considers that the price will be steady at the beginning of 2019 at the reached level. So, based on the results of the Ukraine Meat Industry Association prediction, average pork prices in the early January will be at 44-44.5 UAH/kg.

Traditional post-holiday easing of quotations is expected from the second decade of January and, considering insignificant volatility of purchase prices in December, prediction is that it will be rather moderate.

SOURCE: Agronews.ua