A memorandum on the merger of the Ukraine Legume Association (SPPBU) and the "Ukrainian Soy" Association to create the new "Ukraine Legume-Soy Association" was signed today, January 30, as part of the World Pulses Day in Ukraine 2025.
According to the heads of the two associations, this merger allows for the concentration of resources, the unification of efforts, and the creation of a single development strategy for the legume sector.
"It is very important for us that the associations are effective and that entrepreneurship moves forward. We are currently in a phase of transformation, as we see the significance of legumes. This season, we see an increase in soybean processing alongside sunflower, which means livestock farming will develop simultaneously," said Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval.
According to Antonina Sklyarenko, president of the "Ukraine Legume-Soy Association," the new organization is a response to the challenges of agricultural markets and a logical step in the industry's development.
"Today, Ukrainian producers of legumes and soybeans face increased competition in international markets, the need to adapt to European standards, and the implementation of innovations to enhance efficiency. The fragmentation of the sector complicated these processes, but now we are combining efforts to create a unified development strategy. The legume sector in Ukraine is growing. In 2024, the country harvested 469,000 tons of peas from an area of 212,300 hectares, with exports totaling 364,000 tons. It is expected that in 2025, the area under peas will increase by 20%, and the area under lentils will grow by 10-15%. The area under soybeans is also forecasted to expand further," said Antonina Sklyarenko.
