KSG Agro first in Ukraine to start production of marbled pork

KYIV. Sept 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The agricultural holding KSG Agro was the first in Ukraine to start producing marbled pork with enhanced taste and quality characteristics, and intends to increase its production to 25 tonnes by the end of 2022, according to a press release from the agrarian group on Tuesday.

The holding explained that as the population is updated with pigs of Canadian genetics Genesus, production of marbled pork will reach industrial volumes in 2023.

At the first stage, KSG Agro plans to supply marbled pork to luxury stores of retail chains, where premium products are presented, among other things. For the convenience of consumers and for the purpose of identification, it will be marked in a special way.

KSG Agro clarified that it started producing marbled pork in order to be able to supply retail chains with meat with an attractive appearance and good recognition among buyers.

"The current trends in industrial pig breeding consist in a constant increase in the indicator of kilograms of meat per sow. Producers can be understood, they are fighting for volumes and cost reduction, but the result of this race is that pork in terms of its properties and structure does not differ much on the market, as it happens with the same chicken or turkey," the holding company quotes its head of the pig-breeding department Vasyl Starobor.

According to Ihor Ushakov, director of the pig-breeding enterprise Strong-Trade LLC, which is part of the holding, marbled pork is the meat of a special breed of pigs. And although an inexperienced consumer will not notice external differences at first, they are significant: a brighter color of meat and greasy streaks inherent in this breed, which retain meat juices and make the pork structure softer and juicier. "We are talking about an extraordinary pork of the premium segment, which is ideal, for example, for cooking kebabs and other types of barbecue," he said in the message.

At the same time, marbled pork, when properly frozen, does not absorb moisture, while remaining softer and tastier. If ordinary pork, when frozen, gives an increase in water up to 4% of its weight, then marble – ten times less, up to 0.4%.

The vertically integrated holding KSG Agro is engaged in pig breeding, as well as production, storage, processing and sale of grains and oilseeds. Its land bank is about 21,000 hectares.

According to the agricultural holding, it is in the top five pork producers in Ukraine.