Mykolaiv region’s agricultural enterprises increasingly grow niche crops in 2024

This year agricultural enterprises in the Mykolaiv region have started to increasingly grow niche crops.

The relevant statement was made by Director of the Department for Agro-Industrial Development at Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Olena Piskun in a commentary to Ukrinform.

“Mykolaiv farmers have rapidly increased the growing of such niche crops as flax, mustard and coriander. For example, prior to the [Russian] full-scale invasion, only 5 hectares used to be sown with flax. In 2024, it is already 8,000 hectares,” Piskun told.

In her words, the same goes for mustard and coriander, whose plantations expanded from 738 hectares and 3.0 hectares in 2021 to 5,000 hectares and 3,200 hectares respectively now.

According to Piskun, the above volumes are still insignificant compared to the total area of crop fields in the region, which is more than 1.5 million hectares.

“But, they indicate that our agricultural enterprises are looking for additional ways to develop and generate profit. Prior to the war, we tried to convince farmers to grow niche crops, but they hesitated. Now, as they saw that it was profitable, they started doing so,” Piskun explained.

Meanwhile, farmers say that they are reorienting to niche crops due to the prices for traditional wheat or barley being very low and sometimes not even covering the production costs, mostly because of the closed ports and challenging logistics.

Director of Southern Agrarian-Export Company (PAEK), Regional Council Member Yurii Kormyshkin mentioned that their enterprise had been growing flax, coriander, mustard and millet, and 70% of the harvest was exported.

“Unlike wheat, which is currently unprofitable, niche crops have a higher selling price. Also, for example, coriander and flax are resistant to drought. At the same time, they require special storage conditions. Hence, when growing niche crops, each agricultural producer must not only be aware of the technologies but also prepare an appropriate base for harvesting, shipping, cleaning, processing, storage, and laboratory research,” Kormyshkin added.

A reminder that the area of irrigated agricultural lands in the Mykolaiv region expanded in 2024, including thanks to the program of government support for the agricultural producers building land reclamation systems.

Photo: Shuttestock