Ukraine boosts meat production Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, has said t hat

the amount of meat imports in 2013 will decrease by 35% due to the increase in domestic meat production. The government has supported programs encouraging domestic livestock and cattle farming. "We are moving towards self-sufficiency in terms of food we are capable of produ cing ourselves.It's possible to cut meat imports by 35% this year in Ukraine.To ac hieve that, we should use market instruments which will help enhance competitive ness and build up local production," Prysyazhnyuk said. Some 2.4 million tons of meat will be produced in Ukraine in 2013, up 6%, year-o n-year. The government will continue to provide integrated support for the meat industry , which continues to grow and offers farmers new opportunities. Government agricultural programs have contributed to the reconstruction and cons truction of livestock farms.Some 67 new farms were put into operation recently. Pork imports will be down by 40% in 2013 and Ukraine will begin exporting chicke n to European Union countries. High product quality and livestock productivity remains a priority.The government 's program for economic revitalization for 2013-2014 includes the appropriate ob jectives for developing this domestic meat industry and increasing exports. The government in 2013 will continue subsidizing farmers to encourage them to ke ep young cattle, as well as supporting individual farmers and owners of family f arms in order to increase pork production, following the successful Polish exper ience. Experts say that the government can become one of the leading exporters of meat and fully meet domestic demand by systematically encouraging meat production.Intr oduction of HACCP will help improve competitiveness of domestic meat products on global markets. During the first 8 months of 2013, the number of pig heads is up by 4.4%, cattle by 2.8% and poultry by 3.9%. Sales of livestock to processing plants have incre ased 9.4%. Offset:Meat import to Ukraine will drop by 35% in 2013