KYIV, Sept 24 - The transition of the Ukrainian agricultural sector to new EU standards should be gradual so that farmers can implement them in production and ensure sustainable development of villages, said Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval at a meeting with the EU Delegation to Ukraine and the EU project "Institutional and Policy Reform for Smallholder Agriculture" (IPRSA).

"The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food seeks to build a horizontal dialogue between Ukrainian and European governments and agricultural associations. Ukrainian farmers are partners for European ones, not competitors," the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food quoted him as saying.