On June 10, a meeting of the Sounding Board for the Dairy Sector component of the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), was held.
During the event representatives from the public and private sectors discussed the QFTP’s results for 2023–2025, familiarised themselves with the priorities and approaches for the new period of the Programme for 2026–2028 in the dairy sector, and identified the key challenges, the sector’s needs and the strategic vision for the QFTP’s areas of activity up to 30 June 2027.
Natalia Shchyrova, Deputy Director of the Department of State Policy on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Food Safety – Head of the Directorate for Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine at the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine (Ministry of Economy), thanked Switzerland and the Programme team for their partnership spanning more than a decade, which has contributed to the development of modern legislation for the dairy sector, the introduction of European practices and the strengthening of the food safety system in Ukraine. The representative of the Ministry of Economy emphasised that the dairy industry is one of the most progressive in the agricultural sector and is demonstrating significant results both in the implementation of European requirements and in the development of export potential to the EU.
Igor Lotskin, Director of the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine at the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSFSCPU), expressed his gratitude for the QFTP’s contribution to strengthening the agency’s institutional capacity and developing the regulatory framework for the dairy sector.
According to him, thanks to the efforts of the Programme’s experts, a significant number of guidance materials, standard operating procedures and recommendations have been produced, which help both food business operators and specialists from the SSFSCPU to work in accordance with modern requirements, ensuring transparency and efficiency. He also highlighted the presence on the agency’s website of a dedicated section entitled “Raw Milk Control Programme”, which contains all information relating to milk quality and safety controls. Igor Lotskin emphasised the significant results of cooperation in the field of animal welfare, which has contributed to improving the knowledge and professional training of SSFSCPU’ specialists.
Manon Schuppers, Co-CEO of SAFOSO AG (Switzerland), noted that the Sounding Board meetings are a key element of the Programme’s annual planning.
“The start of a new phase of the Programme opens up opportunities to continue our joint work and implement new tasks. Today, it is extremely important for us to hear the views of all stakeholders so that the Programme’s future activities meet the sector’s needs as closely as possible. Based on the outcomes of the discussion, we will prepare a document which will form the basis for drawing up the action plan for the Dairy Sector component for the next programme year – from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027,” she said.
According to her, one of the key guiding principles for the Programme’s future work will be the Roadmap for the EU integration of the Dairy Sector of Ukraine, the development of which QFTP has supported over the past year and a half. At the same time, the Programme will focus on preparing enterprises to enter external markets and on strengthening the competitiveness and developing the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in both domestic and external markets, as well as preparing them to meet European integration requirements.
Iryna Vysotska, Deputy Local Manager, Dairy Sector Component Coordinator of the QFTP, presented the key results of the work carried out during the previous programme year (July 2025–June 2026) and outlined the priorities for the new phase of the Programme’s implementation.
Among the key achievements, Iryna Vysotska highlighted the effective work of the Ministerial Working Group on the Development of the Dairy Sector, support for the development and implementation of regulatory and legal acts in the field of milk safety and quality, as well as animal welfare, and the creation of a Roadmap for the EU integration of the Dairy Sector of Ukraine.
Particular attention was paid to the development of training and professional development programmes for staff of the SSFSCPU, laboratories and sample collection delegates, as well as to learning from experience of EU Member States. Iryna Vysotska highlighted the importance of further developing the Raw Milk Control Programme, modernising the Dairy Module and establishing a National Reference Laboratory for the milk and dairy products samples. According to her, these areas remain among the priorities for ensuring the sustainable operation of the milk quality control system in Ukraine.
The component coordinator highlighted the results of cooperation with the State Institution “Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office”, support for Ukrainian producers’ participation in international exhibitions, the development of export guides for new markets, and the successes of Ukrainian cheese makers at international competitions. She emphasised that in the extension phase of the Programme, the main focus will be not on the direct promotion of exports, but on enhancing enterprises’ export readiness and preparing them to operate in both domestic and foreign markets.
Separately, Iryna Vysotska presented an updated approach to the Programme’s work for the period up to 2028, which provides for greater emphasis on direct support for small and medium-sized enterprises, the development of sector-specific services, strengthening the role of business associations and service providers, as well as assisting producers in preparing to comply with EU legislation.
Following the group work sessions, participants formulated and prioritised proposals for further support for the development of the dairy sector.
All the Sonding Board’s recommendations will be summarised by the QFTP team and used to prepare an Activity plan for the Dairy Sector component for the next programme year. Following approval by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the members of the Steering Committee, they will form the basis for the implementation of the Programme’s activities in 2026–2027.
