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Ukraine’s Poultry Sector Consolidates as Flock Tops 109 Million

by Roman Cheplyk
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
2 MIN
Ukraine’s Poultry Sector Consolidates as Flock Tops 109 Million

Ten new farms entered the market in 2024, while mega‑operations (500 K+ birds) now house 83 % of the national flock

Key 2025 Census Figures

Category (flock size) Enterprises Share of Farms Birds (m head) Share of National Flock
≥ 500 000 34 14.4 % 90.4 82.5 %
100 000 – 499 999 61 25.7 % 15.6 14.2 %
50 000 – 99 999 27 11.4 % 2.0 1.8 %
5 000 – 49 999 68 28.7 % 1.7 1.5 %
< 5 000 47 19.8 % 0.05 0.05 %
Total (≥ 5 000) 237 100 % 109.6 m 100 %

Source: State Statistics Service of Ukraine, 1 Jan 2025 (excludes occupied territories).


Trends & Takeaways

  1. Industry concentration intensifies

    • Mega‑farms (≥ 500 K birds) rose from 30 to 34 in a year and now hold four‑fifths of the flock.

  2. Net growth in enterprises

    • Total poultry farms increased by 10 year‑on‑year, despite wartime challenges and regional exclusions.

  3. Mid‑tier expansion

    • Operations with 100–499 K birds added capacity, signalling scaling rather than fragmentation.

  4. Smallholder presence shrinks

    • Farms with < 50 K birds represent almost 60 % of operators but less than 3 % of birds—highlighting economies of scale in feed, biosecurity, and market access.


Outlook

  • Feed economics: Cheaper domestic soymeal (record 2025/26 crop forecast) may further encourage consolidation.

  • Biosecurity vigilance: African swine fever lessons push large poultry integrators toward stricter compartmentalisation to protect export licences.

  • Export potential: Concentrated production aligns with EU and MENA demand, but avian‑influenza monitoring remains a critical gatekeeper.

Ukraine’s poultry industry continues to scale up—even under wartime logistics constraints—demonstrating resilience and positioning itself for expanded export opportunities once security and trade corridors fully stabilise.

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