Ukraine’s poultry processor MHP rolls out plan to launch insect meal production

With this project, the company plans to test the production and use of the insect-based alternative protein, as Melnychuk outlined during the VI International Conference on Soil Fertility Restoration, as quoted by the local news outlet Latifundist.

MHP has decided to give insect protein production a try, as the world faces a shortage of protein resources, environmental challenges, and the depletion of natural reserves, Melnychuk said.

In particular, he added, a significant risk is the decline in fish catches used to produce fishmeal, an important ingredient in animal feed. However, it may take time for the project to bear fruit. “Biotechnology is such a fickle thing, and the only way to make it work is with good knowledge,” said Melnichuk.

Poultry production declines

MHP embarks on new development plans amid significant challenges that the company and the entire Ukrainian poultry industry are facing.

MHP poultry meat production in Ukraine decreased by 7% compared with the previous year to 341,940 tonnes during the first half of 2025, with the trend seeming to pick up the pace. During the second quarter, production dipped by 14% to 161,071 tonnes compared with the same period of the previous year, MHP admitted.

In addition, over the last several weeks, the Ukrainian poultry industry has been grappling with consistent blackouts, often lasting 8-12 hours per day. Most Ukrainian poultry farms have established backup power generation sources, but power cuts still pose serious risks to their operations.

“There are large industrial generators there that need to be running, and we have problems reconnecting power because these generators sometimes fail, and if the birds are without power for 15 minutes, they can simply suffocate. This causes enormous losses,” commented Sergey Karpenko, chairman of the Ukrainian Poultry Farmers Association.

Alternative energy sources

MHP generates its own power primarily through renewable sources like biogas from poultry waste, solar, and cogeneration, with major projects like Biogas Ladyzhyn and Oril-Leader producing electricity and heat for its operations and even creating bio-LNG for export. The company emphasises that this strategy helps it mitigate the risks from the grid attacks.