In Kyiv on the 10^th of December was conducted VII International Conference "Doing agribusiness in Ukraine: time for profound transformations," which was organized by the Association "Ukrainian agribusiness Club" and the Agency AgriEvent. At the event, which annually gathers managers and owners of companies, Government representatives and international experts, were discussed the results of 2015 for the Ukrainian agricultural sector and considered the possibilities for its development for the next year. Partners of the event were: New Holland Agriculture, Credit Agricole, DEKALB, Alexandrov & Partners, AG Growth International, Bayer CropScience, BASF, CLAAS, Vasyl Kysil & partners.

The purpose of the event according to Taras Vysotsky, General Director of Association "Ukrainian agribusiness Club", was the consolidation of all participants of the agricultural sector development process — representatives of Government and business, professionals and experts to discuss the reforms in the agricultural sector and the structural changes, which expects the sector soon.

"This is the last year, when it is possible to introduce changes in the sector. And we have no right to lose the chance, which we have given the events of 2014. Therefore, the Association "Ukrainian agribusiness Club" initiated the global discussions to define the vector of the development of agricultural sector in the coming years ", said Director General of the UCAB.

At the first session of the event were discussed reforms in the agricultural complex and structural changes in the industry in 2016. In the discussion attended by Volodymyr Lapa (Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food), Wojciech Olejniczak, ex-Agriculture Minister of Poland. Mr. Olejniczak shared the Polish experience of transformations in agricultural complex in 2003-2005. "My Main activity as Minister of agriculture was adapting the European legislation. It was not only the adoption of the relevant laws, regulations, decrees, what does now and the Ministry in Ukraine, but also to ensure the introduction of new regulations, their functioning in the agro sector. in practice of farmers, processors and traders. And the same task is now for Ukraine. I am an absolute fan of the Ukrainian agriculture. Agrarian industry of Ukraine, if not makes mistakes, in 10 years will be one of the biggest Grands in Europe and the world ", noted Mr Olejniczak .

During the second session it was analyzed the achievements of agricultural producers in 2015: gross production, exports of agricultural products, as well as were identified short term prospects of markets’ conjuncture , trends and risks for growers in 2016.

The third session of the Conference was focused on the doing of business with the accent on niche products. Downward trend in commodity markets over the next 5-10 years can be clearly traced. If in the previous periods economists talked about the cyclical nature of trends, now 95% of them think that commodities are already in a long-term downward price trend. Accordingly, the margin of production of classic products – grains & oilseeds is falling. Therefore, there is a need to find promising highly profitable niches that will allow agricultural producers to speed up the return of the capital. There are all the prerequisites for their development in Ukraine: natural-climatic conditions, technology, potential markets of the EU and the Middle East. However, farmers are often not aware of additional opportunities that cash crop products open. So on the third session of the Conference the best farmers practices shared their experience in organization of business of niche products and promoted them on the market.

In parallel with the third session of "Niche agribusiness" was held the workshop from ALEXANDROV & PARTNERS on the subject of legal issues in agribusiness. Lawyers of the company have reviewed the question of the acquisition of farms, emphyteusis as an alternative to an agreement of purchase and sale of land, land disputes and the development of the documentation in order to prevent the fraud in agricultural companies. After the workshop took place the legal advice of experts and it continued for two hours. During this session farmers were able to personally ask the questions on the land law topics.