Ukraine may have overdone its promotion as a major agricultural power

European policymakers openly acknowledge that Ukraine’s future accession to the EU will require adjustments not only in Kyiv, but within the Union itself. According to a senior Ukrainian agricultural official who participated in closed-door discussions between government and parliamentary representatives on Ukraine’s preparation for EU accession talks, Brussels understands that the scale of Ukraine’s agricultural sector will inevitably impact EU policies. The comments were reported by European Pravda.

“They say it quite directly: Ukraine is not Moldova, not Montenegro, not the Baltic states. Ukraine’s accession cannot happen without changes on the European side,” the official noted.

At the same time, Ukrainian representatives admit that some fears in Europe are rooted in exaggerated perceptions of Ukraine’s agricultural dominance. “We spent so many years promoting Ukraine as an agricultural superpower that we ‘oversold’ ourselves — to the point where some partners became worried. In reality, we rank only eighth in Europe in terms of agricultural exports,” another participant in the discussions said.

Another government official explained that Ukraine is indeed highly competitive globally in grain and oilseed production. “But we are not always the strongest when it comes to generating high added value within the agricultural sector,” he added.

Ukrainian officials also agree that the European Commission’s enlargement report offers a realistic assessment of Ukraine’s readiness for accession. Only one negotiation chapter received a score of 3 out of 5, while most others were rated “2” or lower. “Yes, overall we are at roughly 40–45% readiness. That’s not very high — but five or ten years ago, we were at zero. Under normal parliamentary work, these reforms can be completed in two to three years: one year for adopting legislation and another one or two for implementation,” government representatives said.

Tags: Ukraine, EU, agricultural sector