Ukraine's poultry industry is stepping up its adoption of EU production standards, with 22 companies gaining approval to export poultry meat and eggs to the bloc since the start of 2026, Serhiy Karpenko, executive director of the Union of Poultry Farmers of Ukraine, told Interfax-Ukraine.
EU-accredited facilities now account for 83% of Ukraine's poultry meat production and 75% of its table egg output, Karpenko estimated.
However, many smaller producers are struggling to implement European standards, which have also become mandatory across Ukraine since 2026. Adopting EU production standards is important not only for expanding poultry exports to the EU, but also for accessing other markets.
"EU standards serve as a benchmark for many countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. Products that meet EU requirements effectively receive the 'green light' in most global markets," he said.
Output continues growing
Ukraine's poultry industry is expanding rapidly, with poultry meat production rising 8.4% in the first 7 months of 2026, according to Karpenko. Industrial output grew even faster, up 9.5%, adding almost 70,000 tonnes of meat to production, while output in the backyard segment is shrinking.
"The State Statistics Service continues to show a decline in production in the private sector, down 7.1% since the beginning of the year," he said.
Industrial egg production also surged 23.4% year on year, or by 807 million eggs, in the first 7 months of 2026. Egg product production rose even more sharply, climbing 33% over the same period.
Exports on the upward trajectory
Ukrainian poultry meat exports rose 12.5% year on year to 330,200 tonnes in the first 8 months of 2026, although export revenue fell 2.6% to US$697.9 million, according to Karpenko. The EU accounted for 36% of export volumes but nearly half of export revenue, with the Netherlands, UK, Slovakia and UAE the main destinations.
Egg exports performed even more strongly, rising 18.3% to 1.64 billion eggs, while export revenue jumped 37% to US$164 million. EU markets accounted for 75.9% of egg exports and 76.4% of egg product exports, with egg product volumes up 36% year on year to 6,700 tonnes.
