The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia have signed a protocol on mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of agriculture, food security, and rural development.
The document, based on a Memorandum of Understanding previously concluded between the two countries, was signed by the Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, Denys Bashlyk, and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia, Ģirts Krūmiņš.
Key points of the memorandum:
- Strengthening institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange to support Ukraine's EU accession process in the fields of agriculture and fisheries.
- Facilitating technical consultations, capacity building, and expert-level interaction in areas such as aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU law, rural development, digitalization, and sustainable resource management.
- Supporting joint initiatives for Ukraine's post-war recovery, particularly in rebuilding agricultural infrastructure, improving food systems, and assisting agricultural producers implementing climate resilience measures.
- Exploring opportunities for cooperation within EU-funded development programs and international programs, including trilateral partnerships, among others.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the possibility of involving Ukraine in the development of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy as an observer. This includes participation in the work of the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and other advisory bodies.
Denys Bashlyk thanked Latvia for its systematic support and requested continued cooperation in the field of fisheries, which includes digitalization, sector capacity development, and scientific collaboration.
“For us, it is extremely important to receive support from Latvian colleagues in digitalization, precision agriculture, automated farm management, and IT solutions. We view Latvia’s agricultural model as a benchmark for Ukraine,” said Denys Bashlyk.
The parties also identified other potential areas of cooperation: the creation of nurseries and seed centers, development of IT technologies, and partnership in implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Reference: The cooperation protocol was signed based on the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation dated October 27, 2015.
The total agricultural trade between Ukraine and Latvia in 2024 amounted to over 205 million euros. The trade balance for 2022–2023 was positive in favor of Ukraine. Latvia mainly imports bakery products, chocolate, eggs, ice cream, cheeses, and other goods from Ukraine. In return, Latvia supplies Ukraine with ethyl alcohol, processed and frozen fish, sunflower oil, and other products
