On March 15, 2017 the IFC, the International Finance Corporation being a member of the World Bank Group, in cooperation with AgriEvent held VI International Food Safety Forum ‘Risk Management in Turbulent Times’.

Participants discussed new opportunities for improving food safety of the Ukrainian products, international practice and trends in food safety management, issues regarding incentive of safe products manufacturing in order to enter new export markets as well as provisions of the Law on Food Safety and Quality coming into force this year.

Olha Trofimtseva, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, in her welcome speech stressed the importance of international standards for consumer safety. ‘Today, on March 15, is a Day of Consumer Protection. Implementation of standards, first and foremost, envisages high-quality and safe food for our consumers. The more companies will introduce international standards - the greater choice of high-quality and safe products the consumers will receive’.

The Deputy Minister noted that food industry in Ukraine has a great potential owing to the leading position in production and export of grain crops and oil, land recourses as well as presence of capabilities for manufacturing and export of organic products. She believes that the implementation of modern and internationally recognized standards of food safety management will help food processing plants of Ukraine strengthen their position in the domestic market, gain the opportunity to enter foreign markets, reduce expenses and minimize risks. ‘Success of each company in food safety issue is a ticket to successful reforms and contribution to the economy development as a whole’, - says Olha Trofimtseva.

Volodymyr Lapa, Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, spoke about reforming of system of the food safety state control, in particular the HACCP system ‘The HACCP system will be implemented from 20 September at all large enterprises carrying out activities related to food products which include raw ingredients of animal origin. In a year it will become a mandatory system for other big food industry enterprises specializing in food products excluding raw ingredients of animal origin (except small facilities). And in 2019, it will concern small businesses operating in food industry as well. The ultimate goal of implementing procedures is to control chains of food products and introduce the key European control principle ‘from farm to table’.

Myronivskyi Plant of Greets and Feed Stuff was the first company with which the IFC started cooperation in the agricultural sector of Ukraine. In general, over the years of cooperation the IFC financed MHP agricultural holding to the amount of more than USD 300 million. In addition, MHP became one of the first companies in Ukraine that have introduced HACCP system at its enterprises.

Olena Kosiuk, Director of the Department of Technology, Quality and Safety of Food Products at Myronivskyi Plant of Greets and Feed Stuff (MHP), in her speech shared practical experience in implementation of the food safety management system. Management systems implemented at our enterprises enable to increase the efficiency of conducting business in general, to achieve compliance with the partners’ expectations as well as to enter new sales markets. Investors also pay considerable attention to the availability of product safety and quality control system. They want to be sure that they are investing funds in the company with sustainable growth, high qualitative and quantitative indices, progressive past and right strategy to build a business’.

Alex Lissitsa, General Director of IMC, emphasized importance of the reforms being carried out with assistance of the IFC, so that the consumer will be confident in quality and safety of the end product. ‘Business faces an issue how to prepare for the requirements which food consumer is going to put forward in the nearest future. These requirements are quite stringent, but in the future they will be even more stringent than nowadays. So I'm very grateful to the IFC and other our partners we are working with in order to ensure that the consumer will be confident in our products and so that we can be proud of our manufactured products. It requires an effective system of food safety control. IMC has been working with the IFC starting from 2013 within the framework of seven-year program. Sometimes it is difficult to work, but the outcome is good in the end. It is not just a financial institution, it is not just a cooperation program, the IFC carries out these necessary reforms to which businesses sometimes do not have enough time or willingness. The IFC raises important issues related to environment, labor protection and food safety. I greatly appreciate our cooperation since with the support of the IFC we have implemented several very important projects’ said the CEO of IMC.

VI International Food Safety Forum ‘Risk Management in Turbulent Times’ is a part of more extensive work of the IFC aimed at promoting agribusinesses in the region with a view to realize their potential, open new markets and provide employment opportunities. Sarah Ockman, Head of the IFC’s Global Food Safety Platform, told how the IFC helps local producers introduce international standards on food safety. ‘As of today more than 100 customers (both large and small businesses) in the region have informed about their sales increase by USD 205 million and involvement of investments worth USD 217 million owing to enhancement of food safety system. It is supplement to better business operation in general, risk management, cost savings, higher productivity and strict control of production’, noted Mrs. Ockman. The expert also told about a unique, designed by the IFC Handbook on Food Safety. ‘This practical guide has been created to assist food processing plants with implementation of modern standards to make them part of business and corporate culture. The guide has been updated and improved by our experts on the basis of experience in different countries’, highlighted Sarah Ockman.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, IFC uses their six decades of experience to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY16, their long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly USD 19 billion, leveraging their capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org