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As of January 1, 2026, updated animal welfare requirements for farm animals, harmonised with European legislation, entered into force in Ukraine. For the pig sector, this means a transition to new housing standards that require significant investments and changes in production practices.
For new farms, compliance with the requirements is mandatory from the outset, while existing enterprises must simultaneously comply with the new rules and find resources for modernisation.
According to industry estimates, adapting industrial pig production to the new requirements may require about UAH 12 billion in investments. This includes facility modernisation, changes in housing systems, ventilation, microclimate control, and ensuring the required space per animal.
Pork producers support harmonisation with EU standards as a strategic development path, but stress the need for realistic implementation mechanisms. Given wartime conditions, limited access to financing, and general economic risks, the sector speaks about the need for additional transitional tools or support programmes for operating farms. There are currently no effective state financial support programmes for such changes.
President of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, Oksana Yurchenko, emphasised that compliance with European standards is an important prerequisite for future integration into the EU market, but the process requires a systematic approach so that adaptation does not lead to a decline in production.
February 5, 2026/ PigUA/ Ukraine.
https://pigua.info
