Core prompt：In recent years Ukraine has attracted attention mainly on account of two issues connected with organic agriculture
In recent years Ukraine has attracted attention mainly on account of two issues connected with organic agriculture in Germany. First, an increasing proportion of organic fodder in Europe is being covered by imports from Ukraine. And second there are cases of residues and also fraud concerning the big and complex organic trade structures in the south of Ukraine, and they have never been completely cleared up. The end result is a very one-sided and rather negative image of the country. The following contribution shows that organic in Ukraine is, however, also very vibrant and diverse and that organic products are becoming increasingly popular in the country itself. The domestic market is constantly growing.
Ukrainian media and politicians love organics
If until five years ago organic farming in Ukraine was almost always a response to growing demand in the west of Europe, today organic food has become firmly established within the country as well. Consumers can now buy organic products in more than 300 outlets, with the epicentre of organic marketing to be found in the capital Kiev.
Growing domestic market
The outlets are supplied by 27 producers and processors in the county. The range is diverse and you find practically everything in the fresh food and packaged food ranges, although not always in sufficient quantities. So there is a need for more organic producers in Ukraine itself to fill the gaps in, for example, the supply of fruit and vegetables. This capital-intensive aspect of organic farming is still under-represented in Ukrainian organic agriculture. Supermarket chains like Auchan, Billa, Spar and Goodwine are desperately looking for more domestic producers but, so far, there has been a lack of investors and also technical know-how.
