Number of livestock product exporters from Ukraine to EU up 8.5% during crisis - watchdog

MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) - During the martial law in Ukraine the number of livestock producing enterprises having the right to export their products to the European Union increased to 418 from 385 (up 8.5%) compared with winter 2021.

As Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday, citing the website of the Ukrainian State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Rights Protection, the number of Ukrainian exporters of dairy products showed the strongest increase by 11. The country also saw six more exporters of fish products exporters, while the number of exporters of snails and products made of them rose by five.

"The association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which was signed in 2014 and took effect in 2017, provides an opportunity for Ukrainian producers to substantially expand their sales markets. The crisis did not stop this process, in particular, thanks to the lifting of duties for Ukrainian goods on the territory of the EU for a year, starting from June 4 of this year," the watchdog said in a statement.

According to its data, among Ukrainian exporters of products geared for human consumption there are 72 producers of bee honey, 40 of dairy products, and 37 of fish products. Among exporters of products not intended for human consumption, the largest number of enterprises, precisely, 67, export down and feather to the EU, 49 companies export casein, and 46 ones deliver leather.

The Food Safety Service noted that in order to export food products of its own production to the EU, a business entity must submit a request for approval of export capacity to the territorial body of the Service in accordance with Order No. 38 of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy of February 10, 2016.