The Ukrainian Agri Council as part of the Ukrainian Agri Forum together with a number of leading farmers’ associations appealed to Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal with a request to finance farmers on the territories de-occupied in September as soon as possible.

Agrarian associations draw attention to the fact that since the beginning of September 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have released more than 8.5 thousand square meters. km of temporarily occupied territories of our country, in particular, almost a third of the territory of Kharkiv region. About 500,000 hectares of agricultural lands are under cultivation on these de-occupied territories.

"The majority of farmers on these territories suffered significant destruction, theft of their property, destroyed equipment, livestock, and land plots. They did not have the opportunity to carry out harvesting operations in summer, and they also have almost no resources to resume work, carry out autumn field work, which is extremely important, as well as to pay rent to shares owners and wages to workers. The estimated need for resumption of financing the activities of agricultural producers (just talking about specified de-occupied territories) is about UAH5 billion," is mentioned in the UAF's appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers.

It is noted that the funds should be attracted by them as soon as possible either in the form of preferential long-term loans under the conditions of collateral guarantees from the state, or in the form of one-time assistance in the calculation of the area under cultivation or the kept livestock of agricultural animals.

"Due to the above-mentioned information, we ask you, Mr Smyhal, to urgently consider the possibility of providing financial support to agricultural producers on the de-occupied territories for the rapid economic recovery of the affected regions," the farmers urged.