Agricultural products provide 59% of Ukraine’s foreign exchange earnings

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Vitaliy Koval, took part in the Agrarian Forum, which was held within the framework of the large-scale Investment Congress. At the discussion panel, together with people’s deputies, representatives of business associations and farmers, they discussed the prospects for the development of the industry.

During his speech, the Head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy noted that Ukrainian farmers today are the foundation of the country’s development, because last year they provided 59% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

The Minister also said that 80% of the products we grow are exported in raw forms.

“That is why it is important to invest in deep processing. This is added value, this is food security, this is where the country should go. The goal of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy is to transform Ukraine from an agrarian to an agro-industrial country,” Vitaliy Koval emphasized.

The Head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy also raised the topic of financial instruments to support farmers. “Today, there are many state programs and loans. But it is important that banks also actively offer their financial projects. The cheaper the financial resource and the more of it there is in the agricultural sector, the stronger the farmers will be,” the Minister added.

Other panel discussions were also held within the framework of the Agrarian Forum, in which the Deputy Ministers of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Oksana Osmachko and Lyudmila Shemelynets took part. They discussed the role of international organizations in the development of the agricultural sector and the challenges that exist in the legal regulation of the purchase, sale and lease of agricultural land.

The participants of the panel discussion also discussed the issue of opening new markets and integration into the European family.

The Minister noted that it is necessary to communicate with European partners at all levels in the language of numbers and prove that the Ukrainian agricultural sector is not a threat to them. At the same time, when joining the EU, it is important for us to defend the interests of Ukrainian farmers.

“Our philosophy is nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about agriculture without farmers,” noted Vitaliy Koval.

Tags: Ukraine, export, agricultural products