Ukraine and Italy Signed a Support Program for the Agro-Food Sector.

Ukraine and Italy signed a project document 'Program for Supporting the Restoration of the Economic Potential of Ukraine's Agro-Food Sector'.

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the project will be implemented in the Odesa region, particularly in the Berezivskyi, Rozdilnanskyi, and Odesa districts. As part of the project, support will be provided to 16,200 (approximately 48,000 people) small and medium-sized farms.

The main goal of the project is to support small and medium-sized agribusiness, strengthen the positions of Ukrainian agro-food products in global markets, develop livestock farming, and provide technological support in accordance with European standards. The project also includes support for the development of irrigation systems in the Odesa region. One of the main ideas of the project is to create cooperatives for processing agricultural products and establish stable connections between the Ukrainian and Italian markets.

'The Italian side confirmed its readiness to invest in the restoration and development of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. In particular, as part of the new Pro.UKR project, which is being implemented with the support of AICS and CIHEAM, over 11 million euros will be directed to the development of irrigation infrastructure, support for cooperatives, equipping small farmers with machinery, and integrating Ukrainian agribusiness into the European market. This is another step towards the effective restoration of Ukrainian agriculture and expanding cooperation with the EU,' - emphasized Vitaliy Koval.

Minister of Agrarian Policy Vitaliy Koval stressed that small and medium businesses are the backbone of the economy and the agricultural sector not only in Ukraine but also in Italy. He noted that the stability of the Ukrainian economy is ensured precisely through the activities of the agricultural sector.

The minister also noted that Italy produces a lot of finished products such as juice, pasta, wine, and sweets, while Ukraine mainly exports grain and corn. It is worth noting that the export value of one ton of agricultural products from Italy is 2670 dollars, while from Ukraine, it is only 315 dollars. Last year, Ukraine exported agricultural products worth 24 billion dollars, while Italy exported worth 70 billion. Therefore, the development of agro-processing is very important for Ukraine.

'Ukraine mainly supplies raw materials, while Italy exports products with high added value. It is important for us to change this situation by developing joint deep processing, creating more opportunities for Ukrainian producers, and increasing the share of finished products in exports. We are also interested in Italy's marketing experience to determine the right positioning of Ukrainian products in EU markets,' - Koval pointed out.