Ukraine starts plant products reform for EU push, ministry says

KYIV, June 24 - Ukraine, which plans to integrate into the European Union, is launching a sweeping reform of its use of plant protection products, one of the most sensitive areas in its adaptation to European requirements, the economy ministry said on Wednesday.

Ukraine's current system for controlling, using and disposing of plant protection products is significantly outdated and no longer able to fully guarantee the safety of its produce.

The ministry said the new system would require mandatory state registration for companies distributing plant protection products and a unified identification system for market participants, with each assigned a unique code.

It said that QR codes on phytosanitary documents would ensure full product traceability while updated registers and tougher liability for violations.

"The transition to digital tools is both a requirement of European integration and a way to simplify conditions for Ukrainian businesses," deputy economy minister Taras Vysotskyi said.

In addition to the system for monitoring pesticide use itself, Ukraine still needs to review the entire list of pesticides in use, as a significant number of pesticides approved in Ukraine are banned in Europe.

According to estimates by agricultural associations, discontinuing the use of currently applied pesticides could reduce grain and oilseed harvest in Ukraine by millions of metric tons. REUTERS