A third of the entire potential of the Ukrainian domestic agro-industrial sector has been lost as a result of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
20% of Ukrainian agricultural lands are under Russia's occupation
The agricultural sector is one of the critical areas of development of the Ukrainian economy. Unfortunately, the full-scale war took a toll on him. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, Viktor Kantsurak, reported about it.
As a result of the full-scale war, about 30% of the entire potential of the agricultural sector was destroyed, and almost 20% of agricultural land was occupied. Large areas are mined or contaminated with explosive objects.
Viktor Kantsurak
State Secretary of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food
It is also reported that large areas are mined or contaminated with explosive objects.
Viktor Kantsurak emphasised that the issue of providing financing and support to agricultural producers is more relevant than ever.
He reminded me that the State Agrarian Register and the Fund for Partial Guarantee of Credits in Agriculture were created to solve this problem.
Inessa Andrietti, a member of the board of the Partial Credit Guarantee Fund, said that a survey of more than 2,000 small farmers showed that the majority planned to expand production and attract investments. 56% of agricultural producers intend to increase their area, 53% — to obtain loans for the purchase of land.
Ukrainian soils suffered losses of almost UAH 1 billion due to Russia's aggression
Over 5 million hectares of arable land in Ukraine are currently unused due to the full-scale invasion of Russia. It is also essential to understand that the damage caused to Ukrainian soil amounts to more than 900 billion hryvnias.
Anatolii Razgon, consultant on land issues of the Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, shared such data.
According to him, the invasion of the Russian Federation caused Ukraine to lose 19.3% of cultivated land. Moreover, more than 5 million hectares of arable land are unused today.
The expert warns that if emergency measures are not taken, Ukrainian lands will be in the risk zone and will eventually be withdrawn from cultivation.
It is quite obvious that after the end of the war, without taking emergency measures at the state level and the support of the international community, Ukraine may lose a third of its cultivated area for years - 10-12 million hectares. This is 30-35 million tons of grain, which can provide food for a significant part of the planet's inhabitants, emphasises Anatolii Razgon.
