Kyiv, November, 2005

The Project “Improvement of logistic services and marketing channels for SMEs in agriculture” organized a study tour to Scotland “Livestock Market. The Scottish Experience”. on November 22 - 28, 2005.

The purpose of this study tour is to demonstrate modern European livestock market, its organization, logistics and functioning. The study tour will help develop a strategy for the livestock markets in Ukraine, draft and adopt relevant legislation necessary to organize a livestock market according to EU requirements and standards. In particular, the emphasis will be put on food safety standards, bio-security and veterinary regulations.

The project Terms of Reference stipulates the organisation of 4 study tours. The Project is assisting the “Charodiy” livestock market, located in Zhashkiv, Cherkassy oblast. After several visits to the aforementioned livestock market the Project experts considered it necessary to introduce the Ukrainian livestock market specialists as well as policy regulators to the western standards livestock market operations. The UK has the most developed system of livestock markets in Europe and, due to the severe problems caused by foot and mouth and BSE, these markets have been forced to adopt a high degree of bio-security to ensure against possible future disease outbreaks. Thus, a tour to this country will be of relevance.

The participants of study tour to Scotland will visit Scottish Winterfair Ingliston, Perth, Trainstone and Dingwall Livestock Markets, where they will listen to the presentation by Quality Meat Scotland “Marketing Meat”, “Meat Hygiene Service”, to name a few.

After the study tour the Project plans to have a follow up workshop to summarize results and make recommendations to Ukrainian livestock markets development.

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The Ministry of Agrarian Policy of the Ukraine and the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine initiated the Project “Improvement of Logistic Services and Marketing Channels for SMEs in Agriculture” which was designed by the European Union’s Technical Assistance Programme.

The project, which is managed by a Scanagri Sweden led consortium, was initiated in March 2005. Work will focus on an increase of incomes to household producers and agro-food producers SMEs, improvement of the social and economic welfare of the rural population and contribution to the privatization process in agriculture, promotion of the rationalisation of marketing channels and help to stabilise the interests of market participants.