Fantastic Flavours Media Mentions 2019

Agri-Sector Opportunities
Ukraine is famous for its abundant fertile black soil, with 33 million hectares of arable land (with 30% of the world
share of soil banks – the largest in Europe). The country is among the leading global exporters of agricultural produce
including sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, honey, and grains, especially corn, wheat and barley. Ireland’s traditional
agriculture sector garnered more than €13.9 billion in 2016. The country is renowned for high quality produce, and
innovative modern processing technologies from which the Ukrainian agribusiness sector could benefit
Tourism
With Visa-Free travel available to Ukrainians throughout Europe (excepting
the UK and Ireland which opt-out of the Schengen Area); opportunities exist
to build further cultural and social ties. In 2016, Ireland’s tourism sector was
valued at €4.577 billion and is growing. Likewise, Ukraine’s tourist industry
has experienced a revival. With prices still relatively low and much on offer,
Ukraine offers an affordable and enjoyable opportunity for tourists. With the
average tourist stay in Ukraine being four-days, with an average spend of
only Six Hundred Euros per visitor, Ukraine offers Ireland a new and soughtafter
tourist destination at significant value-for-money. Should Ireland join
the rest of Europe and opt-in to the Schengen Area post-Brexit, and with
Ryanair establishing direct flights to and from Ukraine, the country could
share in a potentially lucrative Ukrainian tourist market.
All changed, changed utterly
Ireland and Ukraine share so much in common in their past. Their rich
Ukrainian with Mayor of Waterford
cultures, developed in the most difficult of conditions, is the stuff for crossfertilization.
But it’s not only about patriotic songs, drinking habits and stirring
poetry and literature. It’s about the very real new opportunities for mutually advantageous bilateral cooperation in trade, commerce,
science, technology, development and tourism that have been opened up by Ukraine’s return to Europe, Brexit, and the launching
of new cheap direct flights between the two countries, with help from the IT fraternities in both countries. In short, Ireland and
Ukraine are poised, if not destined, to finally discover one another for their mutual cultural and economic benefit.
______________________________________________________
Oksana Shadrina is a graduate of Taras Shavchenko University
and her husband, Miceal O’Hurley-Pitts previously served as
Counsel in the United States Congress