Mykola Tomenko: Ukraine should strive for the Leadership in the Global Food Market, especially in the Sphere of Organic Production
On Tuesday, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the bill on organic production (Reg. No.7003) that was registered in the Parliament by the People´s Deputies of Ukraine Yurii Lytvyn and Mykola Tomenko. The bill supports rational use of soil; guarantees healthcare and environmental safety; promotes organic production in Ukraine; arranges favourable conditions for organic production and consumption of organic produce; forms a comprehensive system of organic sector development in Ukraine. The bill sets the fundamentals of governmental policy and organic production; specifies the authorities of the respective bodies; sets the general requirements for production, reprocessing and sale of organic produce.
Commenting on the adoption of the bill, Mykola Tomenko declared that the present situation in the global food market is characterized by the increase of the demand for quality and safe food stuffs and increase of the interest of the consumers to the production under the title "organic food stuffs." "This direction of agricultural industry in Ukraine is of great demand. It is developing, although the entire work is conducted without regard of legislative field", he emphasized.
M. Tomenko stated that the Verkhovna Rada shall commence strategic work to improve the organic produce in Ukraine, as it is essential not only from the point of view of healthy eating, but taking into account the strategic and leading place of Ukraine in the global agricultural food market.
The Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada believes that all clauses of the bill will be taken into consideration between the first and the second readings. "We are ready for active cooperation with the subject Committee, and will involve leading national and foreign experts. It is only after a serious discussion that the bill will be submitted for the second reading", he informed.
M. Tomenko deems necessary to uphold the strategy and concepts of the organic produce sphere, although there is a lot of work on this issue. According to him, "Ukraine shall become a leader in the global food market, especially in the sphere of organic production."