The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the Concept of the State Targeted Economic Program for Livestock Development until 2033. The corresponding order No. 76-p was adopted at a regular meeting. The document was developed by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.

The approved Concept serves as a basis for the development of the State Target Program for Livestock Development and a list of effective measures to promote the development of livestock industries.

Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, emphasized that livestock development is one of the main priorities of the agricultural sector. It will also help to balance crop production. According to him, Ukraine will not be able to build a strong agricultural sector without livestock development.

“The development of the livestock sector is one of the strategic tasks of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy. Only by improving the situation in the livestock industry will we be able to balance our agricultural sector. The concept defines the development of livestock as a strategic task of state policy. This will help to solve a number of economic, social and environmental issues, especially in the context of Ukraine’s European integration course,” said Vitalii Koval.

According to the Concept, the State Targeted Economic Program for Livestock Development should ensure

• meeting the needs of the domestic market for safe and high-quality food products of animal origin;
• creation of a progressive form of entrepreneurial activity. In particular, farming, which will ensure further integration into the infrastructure of the agricultural market (increasing the share of livestock production from farms in the category of enterprises to 10%);
• creating organizational and economic conditions for the motivated development of the livestock sector. In particular, a combination of state regulatory mechanisms (development of a state targeted economic program, regional programs for the development and support of producers) and market mechanisms. This will stimulate the development of livestock processing capacities (increasing the volume of raw milk for industrial processing to 6 million tons);
• stabilizing and increasing the number of farm animals. Implementation of measures to preserve local, indigenous breeds of farm animals and improve the genetics of highly productive global (cross-border) breeds through selection (providing the livestock sector with breeding (genetic) resources of Ukrainian origin: cattle – up to 50%, pigs – up to 50%, horses – up to 70%, sheep – up to 80%, goats – up to 50%, poultry – up to 50%, bees – up to 100%);
• ensuring a stable veterinary and sanitary condition, biological, infectious and invasive safety of livestock facilities and preventing negative environmental consequences of production activities of livestock enterprises in terms of handling by-products of animal origin not intended for human consumption;
• promoting exports of livestock food products and opening new markets.

The Concept also envisages support for small and medium-sized producers, stimulating the consolidation and development of cooperative farms and private households, which can be the basis for artisanal processing and organic production using direct sales channels.

The introduction of modern technologies will help to reduce environmental pollution and comply with the principles of sustainable development and environmental safety, focused on the preservation of natural resources for future generations.

Attention is paid to improving approaches to the application of standards for the welfare of farm animals and sustainable livestock farming.

Source: https://minagro.gov.ua/