On 10–13 February, BIOFACH 2026, the leading international trade fair for organic products, took place in Nuremberg, Germany. The event brought together more than 35,000 importers, buyers and distributors from around 140 countries, as well as over 2,300 exhibitors. For the 13th consecutive year, Ukraine’s organic sector was represented at the trade fair within the National Pavilion of Ukraine.
The National Pavilion of Ukraine was organised with the support of Switzerland under three programmes: the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP Ukraine), and Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO). This collaborative approach ensured comprehensive preparation for participating companies and a systematic presentation of Ukraine as an integral part of the European organic market.
The National Pavilion of Ukraine brought together 26 exporters of organic products from the central, western, southern, northern and eastern regions of Ukraine, demonstrating the broad geographical spread of the organic sector and the resilience of production despite the challenges of the full-scale war. The full list of exhibiting companies is at the link.
The companies presented a wide range of products, from organic raw materials to high value-added processed goods: frozen, freeze-dried and dried berries and fruits, nuts and seeds, honey, cereals, flakes, porridges, cream soups, breakfast products, sauces, pickled products, spreads, juices, purées and concentrates, fruit rolls, pastila, chips, vegetable and fruit ingredients, teas, chocolate bars, dragees, oils and more.
During the four days of the Pavilion’s work, Ukrainian exporters welcomed more than 1,250 visitors and held over 250 B2B meetings with potential partners from the EU, North America and Asia. Countries showing strong interest in Ukrainian organic products included Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, France, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, the USA, Japan, South Korea, India, Morocco, Mexico, Chile and others. As a result of the meetings, a number of potential partnerships were established with foreign traders, processors, distributors and retail representatives. Some contacts have already progressed to the stage of agreeing on specifications, pricing and supply volumes.
Confirmed agreements achieved by exhibitors at the Pavilion include:
- Continued cooperation with a Swiss buyer for the supply of 800 tonnes of sunflower cake;
- 300 tonnes of buckwheat to the United Kingdom;
- 150 tonnes of flaxseed to the Netherlands;
- 22 tonnes of hazelnuts to Mexico (is being finaliіed);
- Discussion of 20 tonnes of oil to South Korea;
- Requests for 100 tonnes of frozen berries for EU countries and up to 100 tonnes of nuts per year for Canada;
- A potential annual contract worth EUR 100,000 for honey supply, along with 30 tonnes of chamomile to Latvia, Poland, and Slovakia.
During the session “Development of the Organic Sector in Central and Eastern Europe”, which took place on 10 February, representatives of Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Hungary presented the state of their organic sectors, key challenges and development priorities. The Ukrainian delegation was represented by Valentyna Liashenko, an expert of the State Institution “Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office”. She emphasiіed that despite the reduction in agricultural area in 2022, the organic sector is recovering, and as of the end of 2024, 261 operators certified in accordance with Ukrainian organic legislation are listed in the State Register.
Today, over 90% of Ukrainian organic production is supplied to international markets. In 2024, Ukraine ranked third among 125 countries in terms of organic imports to the EU. Ukrainian organic agri-food products accounted for nearly 8% of total EU imports, while export volumes increased by 17.5% compared to 2023.
On 11 February, within the framework of BIOFACH 2026 congress, the conference “Seeds of Peace. Voices from Ukraine Shaping their Future with Organic Agriculture” took place. Representatives of Ukrainian business and government discussed practical solutions on how to restructure logistics, adapt production, maintained quality and fulfill international obligations even under wartime conditions. The discussion focused on the daily work of building trust with partners and ensuring Ukraine’s long-term presence in international markets.
During the event, Valentyna Liashenko explained how the state supports companies in finding international buyers and maintaining their presence in foreign markets. Practical experience was shared by representatives of organic businesses: Oleksii Kosobokov (Food For Thoughts, LLC), Vadym Vasyliev (Dyvo Yahoda, LLC), and Andrii Vlasov (Danube Agrarian, LLC). Olena Deineko, Chairperson of the Board of the Organic Initiative Public Association, outlined the state of the organic market, the level of solidarity among producers and the sector’s transformation during the war. The session was moderated by Anastasiia Pivniuk, Senior Consultant of the Organic Component, Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP).
The conference also featured one of the practical tools supporting exporters — the updated Catalogue of Ukrainian Organic Exporters 2026.
A separate public discussion, Ukraine Talk, held on 12 February with the participation of Ukrainian and international partners, focused on exporter support instruments, the development of control systems, and prospects for further cooperation.
In their remarks, Valentyna Liashenko, an expert at the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office, and Liubov Bilobrukh, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Berries Association, presented support instruments available to Ukrainian exporters and outlined their path of adaptation to new challenges. The discussion also featured Vasyl Shukalovych, Senior Certification Specialist at Organic Standard LLC, Toralf Richter (FiBL Switzerland; the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP)), and Christoph Gilgen (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Regional Identity of Germany, BMLEH). The speakers highlighted the importance of supporting Ukrainian businesses, expressed readiness for continued cooperation, and outlined future initiatives.
In 2024, Ukraine’s organic exports reached 243 thousand tonnes, 23% higher than in the previous year. The total export value amounted to USD 141 million. The largest importers of Ukrainian organic products were the Netherlands (31%), Germany (25%), Austria (12%), Switzerland (6%) and Italy (6%). Now Ukrainian organic products are exported to 31 countries worldwide, with the European Union remaining the main market.
Overall, the EU organic market remains one of the most structured and demanding. Buyers focus on supply chain traceability, compliance with EU regulations, sustainable production practices and certification transparency. At the same time, demand is growing for organic ingredients for processing, high value-added products, functional and plant-based products, as well as products with clean labels and environmentally friendly packaging.
Ukrainian producers demonstrate readiness to operate under these requirements, adapting their range of products to market needs and strengthening the processing component within the export structure. While the global organic market is experiencing price turbulence, Ukraine demonstrates growth in export volumes and retains its position in key markets.
BIOFACH 2026 served not only as a platform for concluding contracts, but also as an instrument of systematic economic diplomacy, reaffirming that Ukraine is and remains a reliable partner in the European organic market.
More information on the activities of the National Pavilion of Ukraine at BIOFACH 2026 is available on the websites of the organisers and partners:
- Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine (in Ukrainian)
- State Institution “Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office”
- Ukrainian Berries Association
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland)
The National Pavilion of Ukraine at BIOFACH 2026 is organised by the Ukrainian Berries Association and the State Institution Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office, the national project Diia.Business, under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, and with the support of Switzerland within the framework of three programs:
- the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine (QFTP) implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland);
- Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP Ukraine) implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO);
- Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) implemented by the Swiss foundation for technical cooperation Swisscontact.
