#OrganicinUkraine

Local news, 14.01.2019

The Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Organic Market Development in Ukraine” funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) has been successfully completed in December 2018 after 10 years of a fruitful work. Not least thanks to the joint efforts of the project team and all partners, the organic sector of Ukraine became bigger, stronger and more professional.

Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Organic Market Development in Ukraine”, FiBL
Organic Agroecology farm in Mykhailyky village of Poltava Region, Ukraine 2017 © SECO/Tom Kawara

From now the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine jointly with the local organic stakeholders will develop and strengthen the Ukrainian organic market with own (and involved) resources and ideas. As one of the last activities within the project, the first official promo-video about Ukrainian organic sector "Organic in Ukraine" ( #OrganicinUkraine) has been elaborated upon the request of the Ukrainian organic businesses and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

Olga Trofimtseva, Deputy Minister for European Integration of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine emphasized, “Just 10 years ago the first local organic products appeared at the shelves of Ukrainian shops. Today the organic domestic market grows fast and product assortment become wider. In 2017, Ukraine exported its organic products to more than 40 countries.” According to the information collected from certification bodies and provided by the Reform Support Team at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, in December 2017, the total area of organic agricultural land and parcels in conversion (according to organic EU Regulation) aggregates up to 289 000 ha. The total number of operators amounts to 504 (including 304 agricultural producers) and the total volume of export reaches 260 thousand tons. Ukrainian organic products are exported to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, the UK, Canada, USA, Australia and some Asian countries. 

Viktor Shutkevych, Assistant Director at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine, said, “We summarized a decade of Swiss support for organic market development in Ukraine. The results achieved on both domestic and export markets, as well as transparent and professional system of organic certification established in Ukraine with Swiss support open for Ukraine more opportunities for growth of the organic sector. Consumer awareness on advantages of organic products increases. We supported this video “Organic in Ukraine” because it is very important for Ukraine.” 

The popular Ukrainian singer Jamala (Eurovision winner 2016), who kindly provided her song “I believe in U” for this video, underlined “It’s a big pleasure and honor to take part in this video as I am a big supporter of the organic farming movement. Even more, I am excited that it will have a positive impact on Ukraine’s future generations as well as attracting international partners to help Ukraine grow to the next level!.”  

Launching the first official promo-video “Organic in Ukraine”
Presentation of the first official promo-video “Organic in Ukraine” 2018 © SECO

Video 

Local news, 14.01.2019

The Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Organic Market Development in Ukraine” funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) has been successfully completed in December 2018 after 10 years of a fruitful work. Not least thanks to the joint efforts of the project team and all partners, the organic sector of Ukraine became bigger, stronger and more professional.

Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Organic Market Development in Ukraine”, FiBL
Organic Agroecology farm in Mykhailyky village of Poltava Region, Ukraine 2017 © SECO/Tom Kawara

From now the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine jointly with the local organic stakeholders will develop and strengthen the Ukrainian organic market with own (and involved) resources and ideas. As one of the last activities within the project, the first official promo-video about Ukrainian organic sector "Organic in Ukraine" ( #OrganicinUkraine) has been elaborated upon the request of the Ukrainian organic businesses and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

Olga Trofimtseva, Deputy Minister for European Integration of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine emphasized, “Just 10 years ago the first local organic products appeared at the shelves of Ukrainian shops. Today the organic domestic market grows fast and product assortment become wider. In 2017, Ukraine exported its organic products to more than 40 countries.” According to the information collected from certification bodies and provided by the Reform Support Team at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, in December 2017, the total area of organic agricultural land and parcels in conversion (according to organic EU Regulation) aggregates up to 289 000 ha. The total number of operators amounts to 504 (including 304 agricultural producers) and the total volume of export reaches 260 thousand tons. Ukrainian organic products are exported to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, the UK, Canada, USA, Australia and some Asian countries. 

Viktor Shutkevych, Assistant Director at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine, said, “We summarized a decade of Swiss support for organic market development in Ukraine. The results achieved on both domestic and export markets, as well as transparent and professional system of organic certification established in Ukraine with Swiss support open for Ukraine more opportunities for growth of the organic sector. Consumer awareness on advantages of organic products increases. We supported this video “Organic in Ukraine” because it is very important for Ukraine.” 

The popular Ukrainian singer Jamala (Eurovision winner 2016), who kindly provided her song “I believe in U” for this video, underlined “It’s a big pleasure and honor to take part in this video as I am a big supporter of the organic farming movement. Even more, I am excited that it will have a positive impact on Ukraine’s future generations as well as attracting international partners to help Ukraine grow to the next level!.”  

Launching the first official promo-video “Organic in Ukraine”
Presentation of the first official promo-video “Organic in Ukraine” 2018 © SECO

Video