Ukraine's agricultural sector faces the need to implement EU standards, which could cost the industry up to EUR2.5 billion annually. At the same time, this opens up strategic opportunities for integration and strengthening Ukraine's role in global food security.

This was stated by the UAC Chairman Andrii Dykun, during his speech at the conference “Agribusiness in Ukraine.”

"Calculations show that the implementation of European eco-standards will cost the Ukrainian agricultural sector approximately EUR2.5 billion per year, which is EUR70-150 in additional costs per hectare. We have to adopt these standards into our legislation. And at the same time, no one is even talking about giving Ukraine subsidies," he stressed.

At the same time, environmental standards are currently under pressure in Europe itself.

“It is important to understand that these standards are not yet a certainty in the EU itself. European farmers are also under a lot of pressure, and their green course is constantly changing,” Andrii Dykun noted.

After unification, Ukraine and Europe together will be the largest food producer in the world.

"We are the only country that will join the EU with agriculture better than in any other EU country — we are coming in with a high level. But we must unite with Europe not with a “begging hand,” but as an equal partner, which together with the EU will become the largest food producer in the world. This needs to be worked out professionally," concluded the UAC Chairman.