Agrarians calculated the current losses from Russian aggression

According to preliminary information from agricultural market analysts, more than two years of large-scale Russian invasion caused direct losses to the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex in the amount of more than $10 billion. In particular, as the Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotsky emphasized, only losses from the destruction of agricultural machinery amounted to $5.8 billion, and losses and destruction of livestock farms are estimated at more than $250 million. Therefore, the acting minister emphasized the need for long-term projects to support the Ukrainian agricultural sector.

One of these is the program of financial support for Ukraine from the European Union Ukraine Facility. We will remind that the ambassadors of the European Union agreed on the plan of reforms in Ukraine, which must be implemented in order to receive aid by 2027 from the EU within the framework of the Ukraine Facility, which provides for the allocation of 50 billion euros. The project for agrarians provides for ensuring the functioning of the land market, improving the institutional and administrative structure for managing investment programs, improving the official public electronic register of agricultural enterprises, a long-term plan for the development of the irrigation complex to increase the sector's resilience to climate change, as well as demining land and water areas. In turn, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocates $60 million to support Ukrainian agriculture.

As USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman said, the aid package is aimed at implementing the new Harvest program to mitigate the impact of Russian aggression on agricultural production in Ukraine. The program aims to help Ukrainian farmers to increase the efficiency of production, make it more sustainable and more competitive during the war, and at the same time lay the foundation for the long-term sustainable development of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. As part of Harvest, USAID will contribute to the creation of a regulatory and business environment in Ukraine that will unlock the potential for innovation and help attract private business resources to help Ukrainian agricultural producers continue to feed their country and many other countries around the world. Thus, the Harvest program will be part of the "Agricultural Sustainability Initiative in Ukraine" (AGRI-Ukraine). As of July 2022, USAID has already invested more than $350 million in it, and has also attracted more than $370 million from other donors.

Taras Vysotskyi also emphasized that increasing the production of value-added products is a contribution to the energy security of Ukraine and the European Union. According to him, Ukraine can potentially produce enough bioethanol and biomethane from various types of agricultural waste. In addition, he emphasized the need to introduce preferential insurance for agricultural producers.

But our country is not only waiting for help. We ensure our own commitments to support the agricultural market in the world. Therefore, in the next marketing year, which will begin in July 2024, Ukraine plans to export more than 60 million tons of grain and oil crops, as well as their processing products. This will allow the country to maintain its status as one of the world leaders in agricultural exports. It is predicted that from the new harvest, the production of grain crops will amount to almost 56 million tons. Of them, wheat - 21 million tons, barley - about 5 million tons, corn - 28.5 million tons. The total export of grain is forecast at the level of 43 million tons. In particular, wheat - 15 million tons, barley - 2.5 million tons, corn - about 25 million tons.