The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said economic pressure and war-related risks are transforming Ukraine’s pork industry through 2026 and 2027, according to the most recent livestock report for Ukraine.
Lower pork prices in the last quarter of 2025 and the first half of 2026 pushed inefficient farms out of the market and cut animal inventory. FAS expects the situation to stabilise somewhat in 2027 as industrial farms continue to build inventories despite the challenges.
Household production’s share of the swine inventory fell by 4 percentage points to 31% by January 1, 2026. Households then lost a further 22% of their swine inventory in the first seven months of 2026. Industrial production is partly compensating in the lower end of the domestic market, but growth is slow because many producers see significant investment risks. Industrial farms have increased their inventory by more than 8% so far in 2026, although net inventory change remains negative. FAS forecasts a moderate recovery in 2027.
Production is concentrated in clusters near major feed sources and consumers. Eastern pork production ceased to exist after the full-scale invasion in 2022, and many farms relocated to western Ukraine. Production in central Ukraine, especially around Kyiv, remains significant.
Increased mobilisation has led to labour shortages and higher labour costs for large industrial producers. Industry sources report more female employees, with one large company saying women make up more than 70% of its workforce. Mobilisation has also hit household production, as conscription of one family member makes pig production in a household difficult.