The Ministry of Agrarian Policy continues to work on opening new markets and scaling existing ones. Today, an important agreement was signed with the People's Republic of China at the ministry's premises.
The documents regulate veterinary, sanitary, and phytosanitary requirements for the supply of the following products to the Chinese market:
- Wild-caught aquatic products (fish and seafood harvested from natural waters);
- Peas.
The signing of these agreements is the result of active cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Ukrainian agricultural associations, and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China. The Embassy of China in Ukraine and Ambassador Ma Shengkun also played a significant role in the negotiation process.
Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitalii Koval emphasized the importance of these agreements for Ukrainian exporters:
"The launch of Ukrainian agricultural exports to the Chinese market is a strategic step to strengthen the economy and expand supply geography. China is one of the world's largest importers of agricultural products, and opening new opportunities for Ukrainian producers will not only increase foreign exchange earnings but also establish Ukraine as a reliable supplier of high-quality agricultural products in the international market. I am confident that we have laid a strong foundation for expanding cooperation, as the last contract with China was signed five years ago. We continue working together," said Vitalii Koval.
According to forecasts, the implementation of these agreements will contribute to export growth:
- Pea production in Ukraine has shown stable dynamics. In the 2023/2024 marketing year, it amounted to 409,000 tons, and for 2024/2025, it is projected at 476,000 tons. The main export markets remain Turkey, India, Italy, Malaysia, the UAE, and China, which has shown high growth rates in procurement.
- Domestic industrial fish catch in 2024 reached 11.9 thousand tons, an increase of 6.2% compared to 2023. Catches outside Ukraine’s jurisdiction nearly doubled to 19.9 thousand tons. The export value of fish products grew by 80.3% over the year, reaching $56.3 million.
The new protocols continue the agricultural trade cooperation between Ukraine and China, which has been actively developing since 2019. It is expected that Ukrainian companies will soon be able to start supplying products to China under the new requirements.
