Transition Period for Ukraine’s Agricultural EU Integration Is Critically Important

This opinion was expressed by Oleh Khomenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club association, during a roundtable of Ukrainian and Polish agricultural associations.

He noted that the war had demonstrated the importance of food security for Europe, while cooperation between Ukraine and Poland could strengthen the resilience of the agricultural sector.

«Ukraine’s agricultural sector is already preparing to operate under European Union rules — companies are testing and implementing technologies that comply with European standards. However, for the agricultural sector, this is not a matter of one season, as adapting technological maps, finding alternatives and testing new solutions requires at least 3-4 years. That is why the transition period is critically important», Oleh Khomenko emphasized.

Participants of the roundtable also discussed the adaptation of Ukraine’s agricultural sector to EU standards and the need to move from competition toward finding partnership opportunities. It was noted that Ukrainian companies had already begun restructuring their production processes, but the transformation requires time, particularly for adapting technological standards and the plant protection products market.

Special attention during the meeting was paid to the potential for cooperation in the field of bioeconomy. The discussion focused on the development of biomethane, bioethanol, biomaterials, plastic substitutes and deep processing of agricultural products.