In his greeting, René Döbelt, Chairman and Vice-President of the DLG, expressed his respect for the fighting spirit and will to survive of the Ukrainian farmers and added that despite the adverse conditions, they did not lose heart in fighting for their country on the agricultural front. “The effects of the Ukraine war affect us all,” emphasized Döbelt, “DLG and EuroTier actively support their Ukrainian colleagues. For every EuroTier ticket sold, we donate one euro to the Save UA Foundation, which helps war-damaged farms in Ukraine. In addition, with EuroTier we offer a platform on which forces and international know-how can be bundled in order to promote the reconstruction of sustainable, environmentally friendly and competitive livestock farming in Ukraine.”

Ophelia Nick, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, confirmed that Ukraine is an important partner in global agricultural trade and that the country must receive the best possible support in this situation that threatens its very existence – Germany is providing five million euros for the Ukrainian livestock sector in addition to food aid Procurement and distribution of veterinary medicines and consumables available in Ukraine. German-Ukrainian cooperation projects have also been increased by over two million euros and additional funds have been made available for further increases.

Taras Vysotsky, First Deputy Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine, pointed out that in the post-war period animal husbandry will experience a new phase of development, which will allow for the creation of added value and jobs in this branch. However, the guarantee of appropriate quality remains decisive. “We really appreciate that the EU market has been opened for us and we are ready to develop into a full player thanks to our competitiveness, but also the quality of our products and pricing policy,” said Vysotsky.

Olena Dadus, deputy head of the department for agricultural economic development in the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine, presented the current status of animal production in Ukraine and its importance for the national economy in a keynote speech and emphasized in particular that the animal husbandry industry continues to constant fighting suffered severe destruction and casualties, which for some livestock species amounted to almost 20 percent. “In order to ensure the sustainable development of Ukrainian animal husbandry, we urgently need emergency generators at the moment, in the future more biomethane plants and ways to ensure traceability of red meat,” emphasized the representative of the Ukrainian ministry.

The second impulse lecture was about the global economy on the meat market. He was made by Dr. Joseph Efken, Institute for Market Analysis at the Thünen Institute. Efken presented the most important perspectives in global meat production and addressed the global imbalances on the supply side that exist there. The expert noted that meat consumption in the EU is increasing, contrary to the global trend. This development should also be taken into account in the determination of the further strategy of the meat trade in Ukraine. The most promising opportunities opened up in the production of poultry meat, which continues to enjoy stable demand. Against the background of prospects for the renewal of animal husbandry in Ukraine and the strategy of Ukraine’s European integration, Efken said that it is very important “to build trusting partner relationships, to keep in constant dialogue and to deliver goods that meet European standards and meet quality requirements”. This would promote the further development of relationships and help strengthen market positions.

Julia Kostynska, Consumer Protection Service of Ukraine, Maksym Hopka, Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, Andriy Dykun, Chairman of the National Agrarian Council of Ukraine and Viktor Sheremeta, Union of Farmers and Landowners of Ukraine took part in the panel discussion on prospects for the development of Ukrainian animal husbandry. Representatives of Ukrainian agricultural trade associations noted that in these difficult times, Ukrainian agribusinesses have united to face current challenges, support each other and engage in lively dialogue with the public and international partners on restoring and securing Ukrainian exports. Andriy Dykun underlined the importance of maintaining and expanding export corridors and his association’s fundraising initiative in support of agricultural producers. Viktor Sheremeta drew attention to the better conditions for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, which are more viable and flexible than large companies. Julia Kostynska reported on ongoing activities of the State Consumer Protection Service in the context of European integration and ensuring Ukrainian agricultural trade, including opening up transit opportunities. Maksym Hopka pointed to the great importance of agricultural trade for the Ukrainian economy and to joint initiatives by agricultural trade associations to expand and secure it.

Mariya Yaroshko, co-team leader of the APD project, summarized the results of the discussion as moderator and thanked the international partners, such as the German government, but also the non-governmental German partners for the support they are currently giving to Ukraine Afford. “Ukraine has chosen the European path of development. Along the way, our farms are confronted with numerous challenges, but at the same time they discover many opportunities for themselves. These opportunities must be seized. However, it should be borne in mind that Ukrainian agricultural products must fully comply with quality and safety requirements, so compliance with European standards is an indispensable condition for the further development of trade relations between Ukraine and the EU,” she concluded.

Conference as video recording

The conference can be accessed free of charge as video-on-demand on the DLG-Connect: www.dlg-connect.com/eventdate/Internationale-Konferenz-Ukraine-Convention-Center-Saal-3B–ed_662, only registration with an e-mail address is necessary.

About the APD:

The German-Ukrainian Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD) project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and through the mandatary GFA Consulting Group GmbH and a working group consisting of IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) and AFC Consultants International GmbH. Project sponsor is the National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services of Ukraine DORADA. More information at www.apd-ukraine.de. 

The contact person for Ukraine in the DLG is Yuliya Bondarenko, y.bondarenko@dlg.org , Telephone +49(0)69 24 788-156.