The population of cows in Ukraine is decreasing

The livestock of cattle in Ukraine is decreasing, although not as fast as in past years. The fall for the last year was almost 20 thousand animal units.

So, according to the State Statistics Committee on November 1, 2017 in the country there are 4045600 units of cattle, which is 19 900 units, or 0.5% less than the same period last year. Last year, the number of cattle became less than 3% less than in 2015. That is, we can talk about slowing down the decline in the number of cattle in Ukraine, although the dynamics are still negative.

However, the proportion of cows in the total number of cattle decreased more sensually. If as of November 1, 2016 there were 2150500 units, then for the same period of this year their number decreased by 40,800 units or by almost 2% and is 2109,900 units.

Nevertheless, even here the negative dynamics slowed down compared to the previous years, as last year the number of cows decreased by almost 4% compared to the year before.

"That is, on the one hand, we can talk about a certain stabilization of the industry, because the number of cattle and cows is not reducing at such a rapid pace as the past. – says Iryna Palamar, the chairman of the Ukrainian Stock Breeders Association. - However, the dynamics still remain negative, and the cattle stock since 1991 decreased by 7 times. The causes of the fall in cattle remain the same: the lack of state support for fattening calves, low procurement prices for milk and the lack of proper investment in livestock infrastructure and the like.

Entrepreneurs also require state administrative support. Indeed, the abolition of the preferential VAT regime has hit businesses so, now the producer has fewer financial opportunities for the development of enterprises. Real support can be provided by the state support of livestock keepers, provided for in the state budget in the amount of 2.3 billion UAH for 2018.

In addition, it is necessary not only to allocate these funds from the budget, but also to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to obtain them without hindrance. Moreover, we need to simplify the procedure for obtaining state support, which our Association also speaks a lot at the meetings of agrarian committees in the Verkhovna Rada.

After all, to date, getting an entrepreneur means for state support is legally so difficult that he will refuse them faster. During this time, the country loses "live money", which could be earned by exporting the same bull-calves, which are a very welcome commodity for importers from Muslim countries. "