OECD experts have given the grade “5” to the Ukrainian seed specialists

From 24^th to 27^th of May a mission was working on the monitoring of OECD Seed Schemes application in Ukraine. Authorized experts on the mission – Ira Matuschke and Gerry Hall met with representatives of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food in Ukraine and Ukrainian Seed Partnership Association, learn about work of the Ukrainian State Seed Inspection, Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Expertise, Mankivka Variety Testing Station and seed enterprise “Rise-Maksimko”.

Monitoring work of the OECD representatives has been holding for 3 years and is considered to be obligatory condition for joining to the OECD Seed Schemes. As it is known, Ukraine has joined to the OECD Seed Schemes for cereals, maize and sorghum in 2009, that provide for our country the implementation of seed certification according to the international normative-legal and methodological requirements.

-         Work of the mission was very fruitful, all of the planned questions were examined, - noted the mission expert – economic analyst specializing in Agrarian Policy and Schemes of the OECD Trade and Agricultural Directorate, Ira Matuschke. Today we can surely state that Ukraine fulfills the recommendations on the application of OECD Seed Schemes, notable results were reached in recent years. The mission has not found out any breaches in the procedure of carrying out the post-control, soil-control, DUS-test, labeling, sampling, etc. All our remarks didn’t go beyond advices and professional recommendations.

Her colleague – the Head of Cereals and Farming Section of the Agency of Agrarian Sciences in Scotland, Gerry Hall, one of the leading experts in OECD Seed Schemes, noted the high level of Ukrainian specialists training.

-         I’m satisfied with everything seen and heard, - emphasized the expert. We had serious and interesting discussions at the fields. It was a professional dialogue between experts, as a result of which I’ve got a lot of fresh useful information. All remarks made in the previous report were taken into consideration, comments were positive and, of course, in your favor. We can surely give the grade “5” to our Ukrainian colleagues.

Head of Seed Division of the Agricultural Department of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food in Ukraine, Nataliya Hrapiychuk, is sure that joining to the OECD Seed Schemes is important stage in the formation of Ukraine as an equal partner in the international seed market. This will create conditions for the effective involvement of domestic producers in the international seed trade; will ensure the Ukrainian varieties outlet to the global market, enable foreign firms to multiply seeds of their varieties in Ukraine and facilitate the increase of varietal and seeding qualities of seed produced in Ukraine.

-         We have decisively demonstrated to the mission that Ukraine is fulfilling all standards and requirements set forth in the OECD, our producers have possibility to realize their seed abroad, for the time being only to the neighbour countries. Next step will provide an outlet to the European markets and largest trade platforms. This is a matter of the near future.