Procurement prices of pork in live weight grew by 3% on a weekly basis, according to the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders.
Since the beginning of current month, they have grown by UAH 1-2 per kg, to UAH 48.5-51 per kg, it said.
Amid the growth, some meat-processing plants were forced to reduce purchases or suspend buying pork and continue working, using the reserves.
Experts give different forecasts as for future dynamics of the prices. Some market operators predict that purchasing prices of pork should soon become weaker due to shipments of low-priced pork imports and reaction to an expected reduction in consumer demand. Others, on the contrary, forecast that these factors will neutralize the impact of the deficit of high-quality pork as a result of which purchasing prices will remain unchanged in the next few weeks.
A seasonal decline in the prices is expected by the end of September. (UNIAN/Business World Magazine)