Visit of SECO, Embassy of Switzerland, and QFTP delegation to organic enterprise "Galeks-Agro"

Publishing date:06.09.2024

Дата публікації: [custom_display_post_created_date]

In September 2024, a delegation from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, and the Swiss-Ukrainian program “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP) visited the organic enterprises of Galeks-Agro PE in Zhytomyr region, one of the largest producers and exporters of organic products in Ukraine.

The delegation included Irene Frei, Program Lead, Ukraine and South Caucasus, Private Sector Development at SECO, Viktor Shutkevych, Assistant Director for Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, Tobias Eisenring, QFTP Program Director at FiBL Switzerland, and Ihor Kravchenko, Local Program Manager of QFTP Program, along with other QFTP team members, including Natalie Prokopchuk, Organic Component Coordinator, Iryna Vysotska, Dairy Sector Component Coordinator, and Liudmyla Pivniuk, Senior Consultant to Organic Component.

Galeks-Agro PE was founded in 2008 with a focus on exclusively organic production, including organic crop and livestock production (cattle, beekeeping, poultry) and processing, as well as organic market development in Ukraine. Today, Galeks-Agro is a vertically integrated group of companies consisting of Galeks-Agro PE, Agrowest Group LLC, Organic Milk LLC (Organic Milk TM), Organic Meat Product LLC (Organic Meat TM), and Home Chicken FE (Organic Chicken TM).

During the visit, the representatives of the Swiss-Ukrainian delegation had the opportunity to learn about the activities of Galeks-Agro Group during the full-scale invasion. Despite all the challenges, the enterprises remain among active participants of international trade events organised with the support of Switzerland within the QFTP Program. Galeks-Agro and its subsidiary Organic Milk successfully represent their products both on the domestic and foreign markets, including at events such as Lviv Taste Fair (2023, 2024), Organic Fest at Silpo retail chain, BIOFACH (Nuremberg), Organic & Natural Product Expo (Dubai), ANUGA (Cologne), and the upcoming SIAL (Paris) in October 2024.

During the visit, the delegation discussed the company’s achievements in organic production and its role as a recognised leader in Ukraine’s organic sector, promoting organic principles in Ukraine and representing the country internationally since 2008.

Throughout the implementation of the Swiss-Ukrainian QFTP Program (2019-2024), Galeks-Agro has served as a unique training platform for state inspectors of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, hosting training sessions and pilot inspections within the framework of state supervision (control) over compliance with the legislation on organic production, circulation, and labeling of organic products. In 2023, training and pilot inspections were conducted at Galeks-Agro, and similar events are planned for 2024.

The group of companies also actively shares its experience with other organic market participants, providing consultations and support to small and medium-sized enterprises, service providers, and educational institutions, contributing to the organic sector development in Ukraine. The company shares its knowledge through presentations at various national and international events, such as the Organic Day in Ukraine Conference (Kyiv), the conference “At the Frontline – Women in Ukraine are Changing the World” (BIOFACH, Germany), and the Organic Field Day (Kyiv), scheduled for 2025.

Profiles of the Galeks-Agro company can be found on several platforms:

Profiles of Agrovest Group can be found on the following platforms:

Profiles of Organic Milk (TM Organic Milk) can be found on several platforms:

Profiles of Organic meat product (TM Organic Meat) can be found on several platforms:

Profiles of Home Chicken (TM Organic Chicken) can be found on several platforms:

Visit of SECO, Embassy of Switzerland, and QFTP delegation to organic enterprise “Galeks-Agro”