On April 11-12, within the framework of deepening the constructive dialogue between the Ukrainian agricultural community and international agricultural associations, representatives of the Netherlands Farmer and Horticultural Association (LTO) and the Ukrainian National Agricultural Forum (UNAF), which includes UCAB, held a round table “The Second Ukraine - The Netherlands Agricultural Dialogue” (UANLAD). In order to familiarize the Dutch delegation with the practical experience of implementing sustainable production practices and the requirements of European legislation, demonstrating modern approaches to production and introducing innovations, visits to Barkom (TM “Rodynna Kovbaska”) and the facilities of Continental Farmers Group in Lviv region were organized as part of the program of stay in Ukraine.

This meeting was part of a series of planned strategic events aimed at deepening cooperation and sharing experiences between agricultural associations of Ukraine and the European Union. Such meetings are extremely important for the further integration of the Ukrainian agricultural sector into the European community, especially in light of the revision of the EU-Ukraine trade terms. The main purpose of the roundtable was to discuss the current state of agriculture in both countries and the prospects for the integration of the Ukrainian agricultural sector into the EU.

The roundtable was officially opened by the Alle Dorhout, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, who welcomed the initiative of Ukrainian agricultural associations to establish a dialogue with their European counterparts: “Ukrainian agriculture plays a vital role in the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU, although it is also a very sensitive issue. Some EU member states are concerned about the Ukrainian agricultural sector, but it will help make the EU less dependent on food imports.” 

“Recently, there has been growing instability in the world, especially in terms of food security and agricultural logistics. The devastating effects of the war on the agricultural sector and global trade are also felt in the EU. So in this light, food security and strategic autonomy are more important than ever, which reinforces the relevance of joint work and Ukraine's European integration,” said Ralf van de Beek, Director for International Agribusiness and Food Security, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In his turn, Oleksii Pinchuk, Director for International Cooperation Department and European Integration at Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, outlined short-, medium- and long-term challenges in the process of European integration of the agricultural sector: “In the long term, Ukraine sees itself as a part of the EU, which guarantees food security both for itself and for the EU, promoting independence from third markets and contributing to global food security. In the medium term, the EU-Ukraine dialogue is important, especially Ukraine's involvement in the process of shaping the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is due to enter into force in 2027. In the short term, the key issue is the future trade regime between the EU and Ukraine after June 5, which could be crucial for Ukrainian farmers and the Ukrainian economy in the context of war.”

This opinion is supported by Mariia Didukh, Director of Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum, who in her speech emphasized the extreme importance of the agricultural sector for the country's economy as the main source of exports and state budget revenues. She explained to the representatives of the Dutch agricultural community the peculiarities of the mixed system of Ukrainian agricultural production, which includes large agricultural companies, medium and small agricultural enterprises, and households, and elaborated on the devastating consequences of the war for the industry, including significant financial losses, reduced crop areas, land pollution, and a drop in production of major crops.

Oleksandra Avramenko, Head of the UCAB European Integration Committee, spoke about the institutional, economic and environmental challenges that the agricultural sector is currently facing in her presentation “Ukraine's Integration into the EU: Challenges and Prospects”. The speaker presented a SWOT-analysis of the Ukrainian agricultural sector in the context of preparation for EU accession: “The strengths include large arable land area and fertile soils, relatively favorable climatic conditions, export orientation of the sector, high level of adaptation to new conditions and interest in sustainable agricultural production, as well as Ukraine's stable reputation as the “food basket of Europe”. As for weaknesses, unfortunately, the war is the biggest threat, and we also have limited logistics, expensive loans with short repayment terms, and a shortage of qualified personnel in agriculture. Instead, we have promising opportunities – we expect significant investments in modernization and innovation, especially future access to EU support programs; we are actively working to improve the quality and competitiveness of agricultural products through European knowledge and technology, and deeper integration into European value chains.” 

In addition, the roundtable participants discussed the progress of implementing EU norms and standards in livestock and crop production, plant protection products, sanitary standards and quality of agricultural production. For their part, LTO representatives noted that they are open to cooperation with Ukraine and are convinced that Ukraine's accession to the EU will be a strategic advantage for the Dutch agricultural sector. Hans Van den Heuvel, Director of LTO, believes that the stronger the European Union, the more weight it will have on the world stage and in international trade, which is important for the Netherlands as a trade-oriented country: “In this context, Ukraine can provide Europe with animal feed, reducing dependence on imports from other countries. Ukraine's European integration will increase the labor pool in the agricultural sector and expand the domestic market, which will open up new opportunities for trade.” 

The roundtable ended with a lively discussion, during which the participants agreed on the positive long-term impact of the integration of the Ukrainian agricultural sector on the EU's strategic autonomy in the field of food security. The complementarity of the Ukrainian and Dutch agri-food sectors was emphasized, which opens up opportunities for synergies and increased competitiveness of both countries. The participants emphasized the importance of maintaining liberalized but managed trade between Ukraine and the EU in times of war to support Ukraine's economic resilience, agreeing to continue the dialogue on the terms of trade in sensitive goods.

During the visits to the production facilities, the delegation members got acquainted with the full production cycle of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises – from growing raw materials to processing, packaging and logistics of finished products. In particular, Barkom (TM “Rodynna Kovbaska”) demonstrated modern approaches to meat processing, strict quality control, compliance with sanitary standards and the introduction of innovations in the food industry. Representatives of Barkom spoke in detail about the company's history, values and beliefs that guide their activities, development and growth prospects. 

At Continental Farmers Group, the delegates learned about modern potato growing technologies, yield monitoring and storage systems, implementation of sustainable farming practices that meet European standards, and had the opportunity to see the elevator and product quality monitoring. During the visit, the participants learned more about the company's structure, business areas and international cooperation. The foreign delegation was interested in the experience of growing potatoes, as Continental Farmers Group actively cooperates with Dutch breeders in seed potato production, adopting advanced technologies. According to Georg von Nolcken, CEO of Continental Farmers Group, one of the key differences between the company and most European farms is the high level of integration into the life of local communities: “Historically and legally, the land on which the company operates is leased, which deepens the company's relationship with the owners of this land. In addition, we have a wide range of initiatives aimed at supporting various social institutions and the needs of local communities. For example, we help local schools, hospitals, churches, and implement various projects aimed at improving the living standards of the population and the functioning of business initiatives. This includes helping beekeepers produce honey and supporting cooperatives that grow and freeze berries.”

The visit to the facilities of Continental Farmers Group ended with a tour of the linear-type elevator complex, which is designed to handle all the grains and oilseeds that the company grows. Thanks to this elevator, the company was able to significantly optimize its logistics, being able to ship up to 45 railroad cars of grain per day. Representatives of the company demonstrated where and how grain is received, its quantity and quality determined, brought to the condition and contractual indicators, stored and shipped by road and rail.

The visits provided a platform for a meaningful discussion of the industry's current challenges and opportunities for cooperation in overcoming the consequences of the war, European integration and opening up new opportunities.

UCAB and UNAF together with the Ukrainian agricultural community, sincerely thank our Dutch colleagues for their visit, readiness for constructive dialogue and support of the Ukrainian agricultural sector in this difficult time. We also express our sincere gratitude to all partners, representatives of agricultural companies and associations who contributed to the organization of the event. We hope that the results of the visit of the Dutch delegation will become a solid foundation for further fruitful cooperation between the two countries, contributing to the successful integration of Ukraine into the European Union and strengthening food security in Europe and the world.