Sales rose to UAH562 million compared to UAH352 million last year.

The enlargement of production facilities over the last year allowed the company to expand the livestock stockbreeding complexes at APK-Invest by 46 per cent allowing the company to hold 206,700 pigs at one time, including suckling pig.

The pedigree stock at stockbreeding complexes was increased by 34 per cent at the start of October bringing the total to 21,200 head, compared to 15,800 head in October last year, making the company the market leader in Ukraine.

The meat packing plant at APK-Invest produced more than 21,000 tonnes of finished products during the first nine months of 2012.

The production of chilled semi-finished pork products increased by 40 per cent. Production of sausage products rose by 56 per cent to 2,810 tonnes compared to 1,800 tonnes in 2011.

The production of mixed fodder rose by 60 per cent in comparison with nine months in previous years thanks to growth in the numbers of livestock at stockbreeding complexes.

The company also increased the amount of land it was farming by 40 per cent to 32,000 hectares - growing barley, sorghum and sunflowers in the spring next year.

The company also increased the number of dedicated Miasna Vesna shops from 54 to 95.

APK-Invest has now upgraded its deboning line for half carcasses raising production to 200 halves per hour. In modernising the boning hall, new trimming and packaging equipment was installed.

The company has increased the production in the boning hall through automation rather than employing additional staff and the cost of the upgrade was US$350 million.