As at January 11, 2018, Ukraine filled 100% annual quotas of the duty-free supply of the honey, grape and apple juice to the EU. Maksym Martynyuk, the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine reported this at Facebook.
‘It is January 11 and 100% of the export quotas of the duty-free supply of the honey are filled, taking into account that their volume was increased the last year. The export is not over on this but it will continue on the common basis (fortunately, the Ukrainian product is competitive in the European market, even without the autonomous preferences). At the same time, this fact shows the super-high potential of this sphere’, Martynyuk claimed.
‘Almost 57 000 tons or 80% of the total amount of the Ukrainian honey are exported mostly to the EU. The potential of the production is up to 140 000 tons per year on the assumption of the seeds of the plants for honey-making and it is twice more than the current volumes’, Martynyuk noted.
However, the absence of the obligatory requirements to the quality of the honey hinders Ukraine to increase the number of supplies.
‘The proper state standard is voluntary. At the same time, Ukraine obliged to implement the European requirements for the honey determined at the Council Guideline 2001/110/EU within the Association Agreement. The deadline is the end of 2019’, he said.
Martynyuk also added that 100% annual quotas of the export of the grape and apple juice are also filled and up to 25% of the quotas of the poultry export are also filled.
