Poultry numbers increased by 8.7 per cent to 228 million through 2012 and a 2.7 per cent increase in milk production has been attributed to the national cow herd growing by 1.3 per cent to 5 million.

The statistics, issued at an Agrarian Policy and Food briefing showed a similar trend across the pig sector which has seen a 2.7 per cent increase in national herd numbers to 8 million.

Meat production totalled 2.42 million tons, 2.1 per cent up on last year and eggs increased by 2 per cent reaching 17.7 billion eggs. Milk yield increased by 283.5 thousand tons (2.7 per cent) to 10.7 million tons. Government statistics show that average yields per cow were 4,325 kg this year.

Mykola Prysiazhniuk, Cabinet Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, said that this is the product of the state subsidy and rural development programmes.

"The last two years have seen the Agricultural Ministry devote great attention to the development and support of the livestock industry which has reversed the decline previously seen in livestock farming.”

"It should also be noted that consumption of livestock products has increased across the board. In recent years milk demand was down but it has recovered, growing 1 per cent this year,” added Minister Prysiazhniuk,