PLANT BREEDING, VARIETY EVALUATION AND SEED PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE: CURRENT DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

Authors

  • Oleksandr Zakharchuk dr.sc.(econ.), professor, corresponding member of the NAAS, head at the department of investment and material and technical support, National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, Kyiv
  • Serhii Melnyk dr.sc.(econ.), professor, director, Ukrainian Institute of Plant Variety Examination, Kyiv
  • Oksana Vyshnevetska cand.sc.(econ.), senior researcher, leading researcher at the department of investment and material and technical support, National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, Kyiv
  • Svitlana Tkachyk cand.sc.(agr.), head of the sector of scientific and legal support of draft legislation, Ukrainian Institute of Plant Variety Examination, Kyiv

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37332/

Keywords:

plant breeding, variety testing, seed production, plant varieties, plant variety rights protection, state regulation, legislative changes, seed security, European integration, food security

Abstract

Zakharchuk O.V., Melnyk S.I., Vyshnevetska O.V., Tkachyk S.O. PLANT BREEDING, VARIETY EVALUATION AND SEED PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE: CURRENT DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

Purpose. The aim of the article is to investigate the current state and development trends of plant breeding, variety testing, and seed production in Ukraine under the transformation of the regulatory and legal framework; to assess the impact of legislative changes on the functioning of the sector; and to substantiate directions for improving state regulation in the context of European integration, martial law, and the need to ensure food security.

Methodology of research. The methodological basis of the study is a systems approach, which ensured a comprehensive examination of the current state, development trends, and functional characteristics of plant breeding, variety testing, and seed production in Ukraine under the transformation of the regulatory framework. A combination of general scientific and specialized methods was employed to achieve the research objective, including systems analysis to assess the current state of the sector and identify its key development challenges; scientific generalization to formulate conclusions regarding the impact of legislative changes, European integration processes, and wartime challenges; the comparative legal method to analyse the regulatory frameworks of Ukraine and the European Union governing plant variety protection and seed market regulation; economic and statistical methods to examine the dynamics of varietal resources, seed production, and foreign trade; analytical methods to identify current development trends and sectoral challenges; and logical modelling to substantiate directions for improving state regulation. The information base comprised the regulatory and legal acts of Ukraine and the European Union, official statistical data, state registers, scientific publications, and the author's own analytical calculations.

Findings. It has been established that the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with that of the European Union creates new opportunities for the development of plant breeding, variety testing, and seed production while simultaneously increasing risks to the state variety testing system, the protection of plant breeders' rights, and the preservation of the national breeding potential. The current state of varietal resources, seed production, export-import processes, and the use of domestically bred varieties was analysed. The research identifies growing import dependence, a declining share of Ukrainian-bred varieties, the expansion of informal seed circulation, and the need to improve state support mechanisms, accelerate the digitalization of the seed market, and develop seed production infrastructure.

Originality. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the further development of the conceptual substantiation of directions for improving the state regulation of plant breeding, variety testing, and seed production in Ukraine based on the comprehensive consideration of regulatory changes, European integration processes, wartime challenges, and the state of varietal resources, seed production, and the level of the sector's import dependence. This made it possible to systematize the key challenges facing the seed market and to identify priority directions of state policy aimed at supporting domestic plant breeding, enhancing market transparency, and strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights.

Practical value. The obtained research findings can be used by public authorities in shaping policies for the development of plant breeding, variety testing, and seed production, improving the regulatory framework, the state variety testing system, and the protection of plant variety rights. They may also be applied by research institutions and seed-sector stakeholders in developing strategies aimed at strengthening Ukraine's seed and food security.

Key words: plant breeding, variety testing, seed production, plant varieties, plant variety rights protection, state regulation, legislative changes, seed security, European integration, food security.

 

References

1. State Customs Service of Ukraine (2026), Official website, available at: https://customs.gov.ua/ (access date June 10, 2026).

2. State Statistics Service of Ukraine (2026), Official website, available at: https://stat.gov.ua/uk (access date June 10, 2026).

3. Zakharchuk, O.V., Vyshnevetska, O.V., Tkachyk, S.O. and Zavalniuk, O.I. (2023), “State regulation of the protection of plant variety rights in Ukraine”, Nauka i tekhnika siohodni. Seriia "Ekonomika", no. 11(25), pp. 274-295.

4. Long, D., Ray, P., Zharov, V.O. et al. (2007), Zakhyst prav intelektualnoi vlasnosti: normy mizhnarodnoho i natsionalnoho zakonodavstva ta yikh pravozastosuvannia [Protection of Intellectual Property Rights: Norms of International and National Legislation and Their Law Enforcement], K.I.S., Kyiv, Ukraine, 448 p.

5. Zakharchuk, O.V., Vyshnevetska, O.V., Navrotskyi, Ya.V. et al. (2022), Innovatsiino-investytsiinyi rozvytok rynkiv tekhnichnykh zasobiv, nasinnia ta tekhnolohii v roslynnytstvi [Innovation and Investment Development of Markets for Machinery, Seeds and Technologies in Crop Production], NSC "IAE", Kyiv, Ukraine, 264 p.

6. Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination (2026), “Information and Reference System "Register of Varieties"”, available at: http://service.ukragroexpert.com.ua/ (access date June 16, 2026).

7. Iskova, O.V. (2019), “Novelties of Ukrainian legislation in the field of plant variety rights protection in the context of European integration of Ukraine”, Porivnialno-analitychne pravo, no. 1, available at: https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/bitstreams/84e4fb6a-54d8-466d-b213-c8adce7cdeda/download (access date June 10, 2026).

8. Matviiets, V.H., Abramyk, L.M. and Sonets, T.D. (2015), “Use of a plant variety as an object of intellectual property”, Peredhirne ta hirske zemlerobstvo i tvarynnytstvo, Issue 58(II), pp. 145-150, available at: https://phzt-journal.isgkr.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/zbirnik/58-2ua/31.pdf (access date June 04, 2026).

9. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2002), Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Measures to Implement the Law of Ukraine "On Protection of Plant Variety Rights"” dated 19.08.2002 no. 1183, available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1183-2002-%D0%BF#Text (access date June 10, 2026).

10. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2002), Law of Ukraine “On Seeds and Propagating Material” dated 26.12.2002 no. 411-IV, available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/411-15#Text (access date June 10, 2026).

11. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (1993), Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Plant Variety Rights” dated 21.04.1993 no. 3116-XII, available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3116-12 (access date June 10, 2026).

12. European Commission (1995), Commission Regulation (EC) no. 1239/95 of 31 May 1995 establishing implementing rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) no. 2100/94 as regards proceedings before the Community Plant Variety Office, available at: https://ukragroexpert.com.ua/uploads/page/5a7da9703d00d.pdf (access date June 10, 2026).

13. Ministry of Economy of Ukraine (2026), “Register of Seed Certificates for Seeds and Planting Material 2025”, available at: https://me.gov.ua/view/7adb860c-7b60-48ea-b0f5-3c26763bc4c0 (access date June 04, 2026).

14. Tkachyk, S.O. (2019), “Regarding the registration of plant varieties in Ukraine without official trials”, Problemni pytannia adaptatsii zakonodavstva Ukrainy do zakonodavstva Yevropeiskoho Soiuzu u sferi okhorony prav na sorty roslyn: materialy naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii [Problematic Issues of Adapting Ukrainian Legislation to European Union Legislation in the Field of Protection of Plant Variety Rights: Proceedings of the Scientific and Practical Conference] (Kyiv, 28 November 2019), Kyiv, Ukraine, pp. 56-59, available at: https://sops.gov.ua/uploads/page/news/2019-11-28.pdf (access date June 16, 2026).

15. World Bank Group (2015), Enabling the Business of Agriculture 2015: Progress Report, World Bank Group, Washington, USA, 158 p.

16. Zakharchuk, O., Matsybora, T., Melnyk, S., Tkachyk, S. and Kovalev, S. (2023), “Forming of the seed production system in Ukraine: trends, challenges and threats”, Scientific Horizons, Vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 107-116, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48077/scihor3.2024.107

Downloads

Published

2026-08-28

Issue

No. 3 (2026): INNOVATIVE ECONOMY

Section

Статті

License

Open-access articles (open-access journals)

Authors whose articles are published in open-access retain all rights to the content of the articles.

Open access articles are committed to be published under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0. This license allows others to distribute, edit, correct and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they indicate your authorship. Detailed information at Creative Commons site: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Permissions for open-access journals

If the article is published in open-access under CC BY 4.0 or CC BY-NC 4.0 (which was possible till the 15th of December, 2018) licenses, users may reproduce it in accordance with their terms.

Additionally, if the article had been published under CC BY-NC 4.0 (this license authorizes others to download your works and share them with others as long as they indicate your authorship, but they can’t use them commercially in any case.), the use for the following commercial purposes requires permission:

– reproduction of content in a work or product intended for sale;

– reproduction in presentations, brochures or other marketing materials used for commercial purposes;

– distribution of the content to promote or market a person, product, course, service or organization;

– text and data mining for the purpose of creating a saleable product or product which benefits from promotional or advertising revenue;

– use of the content by a commercial entity or individual for the purposes of remuneration, directly or indirectly through sale, licensing, promotion or advertising;

– linking to the content (in an email, webpage, portable electronic device or otherwise) for the specific purpose of marketing or advertising a person, product, course, service or organization for commercial benefit.

For further details and permission requests, please contact.

How to Cite

“PLANT BREEDING, VARIETY EVALUATION AND SEED PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE: CURRENT DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES”. INNOVATIVE ECONOMY, no. 3, Aug. 2026, pp. 68-81, https://doi.org/10.37332/.