This year Ukrainian farmers received loans worth UAH 100 billion

Since the beginning of the year, approximately 13,000 Ukrainian agricultural enterprises have received almost UAH 100 billion in bank loans for the development of their own businesses. UAH 44.8 billion from the total amount received by 8,511 thousand. farms under the state program "Affordable loans 5-7-9".

The largest amount of loans under various programs in 2024 were received by agrarians of Kyiv (21 billion UAH for 1,224 thousand enterprises), Dnipropetrovsk (7.1 billion UAH for 931 enterprises), Vinnytsia (7 billion UAH for 1.26 thousand enterprises), Kirovohrad (6.7 billion UAH for 1,551 thousand enterprises) and Odesa (6 billion UAH for 1,113 thousand enterprises) regions

By the way, the issue of credit burden for farmers is under the control of the government and parliament. In particular, the other day the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the first reading the draft law "On Amendments to the Section "Final and Transitional Provisions" of the Civil Code of Ukraine regarding the peculiarities of crediting and financial leasing during the period of martial law." As reported in the press service of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, the draft law provides for the introduction of special lending and leasing conditions for farmers during martial law. In particular, it establishes a temporary ban on the forced collection of debts from farmers whose property is located in a war zone or in temporarily occupied territories, for the period of martial law and for a year after its end. Currently, experts of the association are preparing proposals for the second reading.

According to experts, financial problems will be the most painful for Ukrainian farmers in 2024 and they may remain in 2025. Analysts point out that farmers do not have enough money, as all mortgage options are almost exhausted. They are under pressure from the losses of the first year of the war, when the ports were blocked. To solve this problem, experts suggest expanding and prolonging the "5-7-9" lending programs. As "UNIAN" notes in this regard, farmers who left their farms in the occupied territory not only lost business, but also found themselves under pressure from banks. Which require them to return loans that were granted for production in the occupied territories. Experts emphasize that it is not about the bankruptcy of the business, but about the fact that the last remaining thing is taken from people: apartments, money in personal accounts, cars - everything that they managed to save or take to the controlled territory.

Analysts emphasize that high taxes add to the industry's problems. Experts remind that in several approaches in Ukraine taxes have been increased in 2024. In September, legislators increased excise taxes on fuel, and fuel accounts for 15% of the cost in the agricultural sector. Experts note that all this greatly affects the cost price, selling price and competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural products.