Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council Denys Marchuk spoke at the third annual forum “Ukrainian exports: through thorns to the EU,” where the prospects for Ukraine's entry into the European market were discussed.

"Agricultural products account for 60% of Ukraine's total exports. The European market is very interesting for us – it has 500 million affluent consumers, whose shopping baskets contain a significant proportion of the products produced by Ukrainian farmers. We have already proven that even in wartime we are capable of producing high-quality products and fulfilling our commitments," Marchuk emphasized.

At the same time, he noted that concerns exist not only among European farmers, but also among Ukrainian producers. In particular, accession to the EU means stricter requirements for products. And the hasty implementation of all standards could lead to the closure of a significant portion of small and medium-sized agribusinesses.

According to Marchuk, only banning more than 100 active substances in plant protection products, in accordance with EU requirements, can reduce production by 30%.

"We must talk about a transition period of 10-15 years to adapt Ukrainian production to European requirements. Those agricultural producers who want to be on the EU market must make appropriate commitments and gain access to European subsidies. At the same time, agricultural producers who work with markets in other countries should not be limited by EU standards, as this will narrow their opportunities and artificially reduce their competitiveness. A rapid and poor-quality transition could make Ukrainian agribusiness uncompetitive," Marchuk concluded.