State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has the potential to generate millions of euros from the export of container-grown forest seedlings with a closed root system

The production infrastructure is already in place; however, harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European standards and the introduction of an appropriate certification system are still required.

Legislative amendments were discussed during a meeting attended by Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy Oleh Bondarenko, Members of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Vysotskyi, Head of the State Forest Resources Agency Viktor Smal, and Head of the Transformation Commission of State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Ihor Zubovych.

Two years ago, in April 2024, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted as a basis Draft Law No. 9116 “On Forest Reproductive Resources,” which regulates the production and use of seeds, seedlings, and saplings of forest trees. The document introduces a legal framework for registration, monitoring, and quality control of forest reproductive materials in line with European legislation and standards.

As noted by Ihor Zubovych, Draft Law No. 9116 serves as a foundation for the further development of forest seed production in Ukraine, particularly the expansion of a network of modern seed and breeding centers. The enterprise already operates nine such centers, with total production capacity expected to reach 25–30 million seedlings annually in the near future. Investments in expanding the network in 2026 alone will amount to UAH 270 million.

Naturally, the priority remains the domestic market — producing high-quality planting material with a high survival rate for reforestation in de-occupied and war-affected territories. At the same time, Ukrainian products have every opportunity to compete successfully on the European market.

The meeting was deliberately held in Kipti, Chernihiv region, where the first phase of Ukraine’s largest seed center for growing container-grown seedlings with a closed root system began operations this spring. Construction of the second phase — outdoor growing fields — is currently underway, while the third phase, consisting of greenhouses, is scheduled for next year. Once completed, the facility will provide 8 million planting slots. Expanding the center’s capacity will enable plans for entering the EU market.

The participants also discussed legislative changes related to the corporatization process of State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.