New breeding deal for KSG Agro

Genesus committed to supplying purebred and hybrid GP Yorkshire and F1 – Yorkshire and Landrace – pigs to KSG Agro farms during 2024. In addition, the contract covers the delivery of 30 purebred boars of the Duroc and Landrace breeds.

“We have repeatedly noted the qualitative advantages of pigs of Canadian Genesus genetics”, says Sergiy Kasianov, chairman of the KSG Agro. “These are are superior to their European counterparts in terms of offspring, farrow weight and meat quality. This year, we will continue to work on our pig population, which commenced in 2023 and aims to improve the herd’s quality features. Among them is improvement in the health of piglets and taste parameters of meat.”

Evgeniy Shatokhin, a spokesperson for Genesus Ukraine, commented: “Our company has been cooperating for the third year with KSG Agro, one of the Ukrainian pig breeding market leaders. And this year, our work is reaching a new level in terms of volume. This once again proves that Genesus genetics pigs are hardy, grow quickly and develop well, producing the maximum possible number of kilograms of piglets per square meter of the farm.”

Network-centric strategy of KSG Agro

KSG Agro efforts take place in the background of a “network-centric strategy” the company embarked on for 2024. According to Sergiy Kasianov, the essence of the new strategy is to use the principle of network centricity in a time of uncertainty. It is based on effective management under challenging conditions and optimal risk distribution.

“We decided to move from one large and vulnerable location to a much safer and more productive ‘grid’ consisting of different locations. Accordingly, we decided to gradually reduce the number of pigs at the main site in the Dnipropetrovs’k region. We increased it at other farms.”

“The choice of location was not accidental. It allowed us to move from pork production and supply to systemic investments. These includesocial investments,” comments Sergiy Kasianov.

According to him, together with its partners, the agricultural holding reconstructed the pig farm. It is the only pig farm in the de-occupied Kherson and neighbouring Mykolaiv regions.

Alternative sources of fresh water are available for the facility and the village. This was first problematic after the Kakhovka dam destruction. Currently, Novoraysk houses 3,000 sows and grows more than 6,000 piglets per month. These are sent for fattening throughout Ukraine.

Innovative model

Sergiy Kasianov added: “It is clear that the number of pig farms suitable for purchase or lease is limited. Finding them, reconstructing them, setting up equipment, production and control systems, and training staff requires a very long implementation period. We founf the solution in the same “network centricity”.

KSG Agro had to invent an innovative business model, which, supposedly, is unique to the Ukrainian pig industry.

“The new business model does not involve the company renting or buying out production sites. They are being replaced by cooperation between KSG Agro and the farmers. Our agricultural holding supplies piglets and feed; the farm provides fattening and veterinary control. The partners share not only risks but also profits, so this motivates them to achieve the best results,” Kasianov said.