Ukraine offers EU agricultural product supplies in line with schedules, with agreed volumes - agrarian policy minister

MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - Ukraine has urged the European Union to extend the trade preferences for Ukrainian agricultural products after June 5, but the EU member states need predictability, therefore, Ukraine has offered exports in line with schedules and with agreed supply volumes, Ukrainian media reported, citing Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Vitaly Koval.

"We are requesting the extension [of preferences], but the EU member states need our predictability. Therefore, we proposed an option in which we will export products in line with the schedule and with certain monthly quantities," he said.

There is a risk of extending the autonomous trade preferences with their subsequent abolition, Koval said. Therefore, Ukraine should diversify exports. At the same time, Ukrainian agricultural products have a large import component from the EU, namely, fuel, seeds, mineral fertilizer, crop protection products and equipment. Therefore, in his opinion, Ukrainian agricultural products have the right to be on the EU market, where most of the means of production are purchased.

Koval described the African market as the discovery of 2024. Its share in agricultural exports rose 3% to 11%, the trade turnover reached $2.6 billion, while the share of exports to the EU dropped from 61% to 52%.

"It is important for us to lower our dependence on one market. The EU market's share should decrease to at least 40%. This should help ease strain between us and a number of EU member states, which we have seen in previous years," Koval said.

He also drew attention to the fact that Ukraine increased exports of agricultural products to the Middle East and Southeast Asia in 2024. Exports to Lebanon were up by 2.5 times.

The government is also working to remove barriers and duties in relations with China, Egypt, and Vietnam. Ukraine is planning to open the Chinese market for Ukrainian fish and fish products, poultry meat and poultry products in 2025, Koval said.