Over 100 participants from various countries attended the VI International Congress Organic Ukraine 2023 in Kyiv on March 23. The event was organized by the Organic Ukraine NGO in partnership with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the Organic Standard certification body, and the State Agency for Entrepreneurship and Export Development. The congress was focused on discussing the challenges and needs of the organic sector, as well as its real state and prospects of domestic and foreign markets, state and international support, and the state of agricultural soils.
Stefan Dressmann, Project Manager of the German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Agriculture, expressed his support for Ukrainian organic producers, stressing the importance of remaining faithful to organic production in wartime and taking care of the environment and climate.
Positive discussions on organic farming
During the discussion panels, participants highlighted the financial support available to organic producers in Ukraine. Yulia Voroshchuk, Vice President of Organic Ukraine, Head of Organic Expert LLC, TM OSIO, noted that although many foundations have announced grant programs in 2023, they may not be for organic production specifically but can still be used for agricultural production. Producers have to knowing how to access and use these funds.
The state of the domestic market in the organic sector was also discussed during a panel discussion. Andrii Olefirenko, Vice President of Organic Ukraine, Head of Organic Original LLC, TM Ecorod, expressed hope for growth in the sector and said that the market downturn is over.
Anastasia Bilich, Vice President of Organic Ukraine and Head of Marketing at Arnika-Organic, announced that organic producers had increased sales by 13% in 2022 compared to 2021. Ukraine exported 225 thousand tons of organic products in 2022, including sunflower, corn, soybeans, berries, and processed products. Organic producers are ready for new projects and to open new markets.
Support from international organizations
The event was supported by various international organizations, including Switzerland, through its Swiss-Ukrainian program “Development of Higher Value Added Trade in the Organic and Dairy Sectors of Ukraine,” and the project “German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Agriculture,” which is funded by the Bilateral Cooperation Program of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
