A report from the Ukrainian Agriculture Ministry says that the amount of moisture in chicken is determined by the carcase chilling methods.

In the EU, air chilling is used, which produces up to three times less water in the carcases than in the water cooling methods used in Ukraine.

The ministry added that the EU sets clear requirements for water content of poultry - contained in Regulation 543/2008.

The amount of water produced air chilling is on average about 3.3 per cent while water bath cooling produces a water content of 5.1 per cent he ministry said.

The ministry said that given the number of companies in Ukraine using the water bath method, a level of four per cent water content in carcases is to be set by the government, given the time it will take processors to adapt their equipment.

"A uniform rate will help improve the competitiveness of poultry products entering the domestic market," said a ministry spokesman.

"The consumer must pay for the meat, not the water."