Ukrainian agricultural enterprises are nervous about the new mobilization law

Ukrainian agricultural enterprises are worried about qualified personnel due to the fact that since May 18, after the entry into force of the new mobilization law, the procedure for booking employees has changed, including at agricultural enterprises. Currently, farms can reserve workers in three cases - if the enterprise has mobilization tasks, if the enterprise produces goods, performs work or provides services to meet the needs of the Armed Forces or other military formations, or if the enterprise has the status of critical importance. It is wort

h noting that with the adoption of the new law on mobilization, there are some changes in the reservation process. In particular, previously the household communicated with the TCC, and in the presence of armor, a person did not need to appear at the Military Commissariat.   Now, all conscripts, even those with up-to-date armor, are obliged to clarify their data in the TCC, TsNAP or in the conscript's electronic cabinet within 60 days. To update the data in the e-cabinet, you need to download the "Rezerv+" mobile application, log in and fill in the necessary data. The e-cabinet is called "Oberig". In this system, conscripts will also be able to track personal information and when it is updated. Booking of persons will be done by receiving a barcode. That is, after updating the data, information about this person is entered into the Unified electronic register of conscripts, conscripts and reservists of "Oberig" with the assignment of a special bar code.But there is a problem with the innovations, because part of the current reservations for workers in the agricultural sector ends in May. It is still not possible to make a new reservation without updating the data. Accordingly, the work of enterprises during the sowing period is under threat.

Currently, the Ukrainian Grain Association has already emphasized that the mobilization of key highly qualified employees threatens the activities of agricultural enterprises, since it is difficult to quickly find a replacement for specialists in war conditions, and given the shortage of personnel, it is often impossible to find a suitable specialist. But not only grain producers have problems. In Ukraine, every second pig farm already experiences a shortage of personnel, despite the possibility of booking workers. As Oksana Yurchenko, the president of the "Swine Farmers of Ukraine" Association, reported, technologists and veterinarians are currently in short supply in this field. The specialist added that there is also a shortage of operators and other workers who have to perform daily routine work on the farm. In the material Delo.ua. it is emphasized that Oksana Yurchenko noted that there is always a demand for technologists and it was observed even before the beginning of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. 

It should be noted that now about a thousand economic enterprises continue to work in Ukraine. In 2023, the work of the industry stabilized, but in 2022 the reduction reached 8-10%, the reason for which was the occupation of part of the territories. As of now, some leading pig farms have reported that the staffing situation is not yet critical, but the shortage of workers is significantly felt. The situation is saved by the possibility of booking employees of agricultural enterprises, albeit with a limit of 50% of conscripts. Therefore, even taking into account the mobilization, it is still not possible to attract women to male professions. 

Let's add one more disagreement - due to the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the domestic pig industry lost 12% of its herd, and over the last year the domestic market did not receive 100,000 tons of pork. Experts note that despite the losses, the sector remains important for the economic activity of workers in rural areas, as well as for providing citizens with meat products. Analysts believe that entrepreneurs are ready to increase production capacity if necessary. The Association suggests using contracting to improve the efficiency of pig farming in Ukraine. We are talking about the business relationship between the feedlot and the broodstock farm. As part of such cooperation, the fattener receives a fee for fattening marketable livestock, and the customer of such services is the broodstock. He is obliged to provide the breeder with veterinary support and feed. The association noted that this approach is used in most US farms.

For example, let's note how the war affected the production of fruits in Ukraine.   During the full-scale war with the Russian Federation, fruit production in Ukraine decreased by about 10%, but this was not critical for ensuring the domestic food market.   In 2023, the fruit group in Ukraine was again among the products where the increase in prices was one of the most noticeable (+20%), but this was affected by the increase in the cost of production and supply. Production of fruit and berry products in Ukraine in 2023 amounted to 1,996 thousand tons, unchanged compared to the previous year. Analysts noted that, in terms of product groups, there was a slight increase in seed  roducts, a slight decrease in stone products, while there were virtually no changes in berries and nuts.

In connection with the topic of the material, we would like to remind you that in Ukraine the procedure for booking conscripts has been changed. The changes relate to the approval of lists of military conscripts developed by state authorities and other state bodies, which are offered for reservation;
submission of agreed lists to the Ministry of Economy for adoption of the relevant decision;
bringing the decision of the Ministry of Economy regarding the reservation of conscripts to the attention of the territorial centers of recruitment and social support.

Currently, in Ukraine, companies must meet three criteria in order to be eligible for economic reservation of employees. As the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, said, members of the White Business Club can become members of large, medium and small enterprises that have a tax burden no less than the average in the industry, pay a salary no less than the average in industries in the specified region, and also have no tax debt and delinquencies. For enterprises that are not part of the White Business Club, nothing changes. Hetmantsev noted that the possibility of granting the right to reserve employees to members of the White Business Club is under consideration.