Ukraine has seen a record increase in poultry meat exports: which countries bought the most
15 June 12:52
Ukrainian poultry meat exports in May 2026 reached their highest monthly level in the past five years. Over the course of the month, 43,640 tons of products were shipped to foreign markets. This was reported by the Ukrainian Poultry Farmers Union, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
This is 7% more than in April 2026, when exports totaled 40,700 tons.
How much did Ukraine export in May
In May, Ukrainian producers exported 43,640 tons of poultry meat. This figure set a record for monthly exports over the past five years.
Exports also increased in monetary terms. Revenue from poultry meat exports in May amounted to $93.6 million. This is 10.7% more than in April.
The average export price for poultry meat rose to $2.15 per kilogram in May. The Poultry Farmers Union attributes this to a change in the product mix that Ukraine sold to foreign markets.
Exports for the first five months of 2026
From January to May 2026, Ukraine exported 207,100 tons of poultry meat. This is 6.1% more than during the same period last year.
At the same time, revenue declined in monetary terms. In the first five months of 2026, it amounted to $437.1 million, which is 4.3% less than last year.
In other words, Ukraine sold more products abroad in physical terms but received less foreign exchange revenue. This may be due to changes in the export structure, market conditions, and product range.
Main Markets for Ukrainian Poultry
Several key markets were the main buyers of Ukrainian poultry meat in January–May 2026.
The largest shares of exports were held by:
- the Netherlands — 17.9%;
- United Kingdom — 11.8%;
- Slovakia — 10.2%;
- UAE — 6.9%.
The Netherlands remains one of the main destinations for Ukrainian products. As early as 2025, this country became the largest importer of Ukrainian poultry meat, surpassing the United Kingdom.
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EU Share of Exports
The European market remains strategically important for Ukrainian producers. In the first five months of 2026, the EU’s share of total poultry meat exports was 34.9%.
In physical terms, this amounts to 69,700 tons of products.
At the same time, in monetary terms, exports to EU countries accounted for nearly half of all foreign exchange earnings—44.8%. This underscores the high value of the European market for Ukrainian exports.
Exports of processed poultry products
In addition to raw poultry meat, Ukraine also exports finished poultry products.
In January–May 2026, exports of processed poultry products totaled 7,200 tons. In monetary terms, this generated $24.4 million.
This segment is important for the industry, as processed products typically have higher added value and can provide more stable income for producers.
What happened in 2025
In 2025, Ukraine exported 436,000 tons of poultry meat. Despite a slight decrease in volume compared to the previous year, this figure remained above the average for the past five years.
Other industry data also indicate that Ukrainian chicken maintains a strong position in foreign markets. According to the Poultry Farmers Union, poultry meat exports in 2025 totaled over 458,000 tons, with revenue reaching $1.149 billion.
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