EP Committee greenlights Ukrainian seed certification system

The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association (UCAB) says the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) has recognized the Ukrainian seed certification system.

The relevant resolution is planned to be put to the vote of the European Parliament, the UCAB's press service wrote on Facebook on September 23

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The move will allow national producers to export seeds grown in Ukraine to the EU countries, whose markets are currently shut down, improve the situation with seed production, and stimulate investment in the sector.

"This will have a positive effect not only on seed producers, but on Ukrainian agrarians as well. Now farmers will be confident in the quality of Ukrainian seeds they purchase and their compliance with high EU standards. Moreover, they will more actively be considering investment in seed businesses and growing seeds with high added value instead of commercial products," the press service added.

Seed certification: Background

• On April 30, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, passed a bill on seed certification in Ukraine in keeping with international standards.
• Ukrainian seed growers in 2018 called on EU representatives in Ukraine to contribute to recognizing that Ukraine's seed certification system is equivalent to that of the EU.
• According to the Seed Association of Ukraine, the potential of Ukrainian seed exports is reaching US$100 million, while the share of shipments to the EU may grow to 10% from almost zero.