Vitalii Koval met with members of U.S.-Ukraine Business Council

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Vitalii Koval, took part in the forum of U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), which took place on October 22, 2024, in Kyiv.

The event brought together key agricultural leaders for an engaging discussion on the future of Ukraine’s agricultural sector. Vitalii Koval, the newly appointed Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, and Oksana Osmachko, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, shared their vision for 2025, touching on crucial topics like agribusiness opportunities, international cooperation, and the critical role of demining in Ukraine’s agricultural revival.

The meeting, co-moderated by Leonid Kozachenko, USUBC Senior Advisor and President of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation, and Greg Fishman, USUBC Secretary-Treasurer, offered valuable insights and fostered dialogue between government officials and business leaders about the path forward for Ukraine’s agricultural growth.

"We talked about supporting Ukrainian farmers and the development of the industry in difficult times. I announced the priorities of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and the issues faced by farmers. The biggest pain point is assistance in the frontline territories. The problems of farmers in Dnipropetrovsk region or Zaporizhzhia are completely different from those in Lviv region or Zakarpattia, and they are definitely different from the problems of European farmers. While we understand the inevitability of joining the EU, our task is to help our farmers adapt to European legislation without compromising national interests," Vitalii Koval noted.

The minister also drew the attention of those present to the importance of restoring irrigation systems as a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam and climate change. Currently, 1.5 million hectares in Ukraine need irrigation, and these areas will only increase over time. He also emphasized the need to support animal husbandry and develop value-added processing in Ukraine.

"It is important for us to open enterprises in Ukraine that produce products with high added value," Vitalii Koval added.

In addition, the minister thanked USUBC for its support to Ukraine. According to him, the goal of USUBC — to help restore the country through increased trade and investment — coincides with the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture.

"Currently, the agricultural sector of USUBC includes more than 20 Ukrainian and international companies. Therefore, I am convinced that together we will be able to bring the agricultural industry to a new level and transform Ukraine into an agro-industrial powerhouse," Vitalii Koval concluded.

The event was attended by a number of government institutions, international companies and organizations, including the Embassy of the United States of America in Kyiv, the Embassy of Estonia in Kyiv, the Embassy of Bulgaria, the Foreign Agricultural Service of the USDA, SOC LLC, ADM, Cargill, Lindsay Corporation, Louis Dreyfus Company Ukraine, Philip Morris International Ukraine, Bayer Ukraine, Agrosem, The HALO Trust, Helvetas Ukraine, Ukraine Global Scholars, etc.

For reference: U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) is a non-governmental business and trade association headquartered in Washington, D.C. Today, USUBC has more than 230 members — leading American and Ukrainian companies representing all sectors of the economy. The main focus of USUBC's activity is to promote the development of bilateral trade and economic relations through regular interaction between the business and political leaders from the United States and Ukraine.

IC UAC according to USUBC and the MAPFU