Shmyhal: Government to look for ways and opportunities to expand support for agricultural sector

The Government will look for new ways and opportunities to expand support for the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex and improve agricultural logistics.

"Ukrainian farmers are unbelievable. They sow and harvest in mined fields, under fire. They continue to feed the country and the world. And we did everything possible to help them. Grants, loans, seeds, fertilizers, crop storage. We built new logistics. Danube ports increased transshipment manifold. New checkpoints [were opened] on the western border. Railway. Grain initiative. We will expand all this. We will look for new ways and new opportunities," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said at the Cabinet’s meeting on February 24, 2023.

He emphasized that the 2022 sowing campaign had been the most difficult one in the history of Ukraine.

As reported, in 2022 Ukraine exported agricultural food products worth $23.6 billion, down 15% compared to 2021.

From August 1, 2022, the Grain initiative became operational, within the framework of which Ukrainian agricultural products are exported through three sea ports of Odesa region. As of February 22, 2023, 22.1 million tonnes of Ukrainian foodstuffs were exported within the framework of the initiative.

As of February 16, 2023, 53.9 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops have already been harvested from 11.2 million hectares (98% of the total area sown) with a yield of 48 centner/ha.