Deputy Chairman of the UAC Mykhailo Sokolov took part in the meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy on the efficiency of agricultural exports in 2025, which took place on April 29.

He expressed the position of the members of the Ukrainian Agri Council on the introduction of a single tariff for transportation by Ukrzaliznytsia for business, and also emphasized the need to restore the discount for the transportation of agricultural products for farmers in the frontline areas, as there are no legal or financial grounds for its abolition.

"The order approving the list of territories has changed, but the Ministry of Justice has responded that regardless of whether the order or the name of the issuing authority has changed, it must be implemented. In other words, there are no legal grounds to stop granting the discount, because all the acts on the basis of which it is granted are valid, and none of them has been canceled. Also, according to Ukrzaliznytsia itself, there is still money for these transportation services, and it is enough to continue supporting agricultural producers. Out of a billion hryvnias, about UAH 500 million was spent. The amount of the discount for the transportation of agricultural goods for the entire period of its validity amounted to UAH 333 million. Under these circumstances, it is not clear why the discount on transportation for agricultural producers was terminated," said Mykhailo Sokolov.

He also explained the position of the UAC members regarding the unfair cost of transportation of agricultural products. According to him, statements that business does not support this are manipulative. For example, farmers support this, but representatives of industries for which the tariff is set below the cost of transportation, i.e., those who are subsidized by the state and other industries, are resisting.

"The unified transportation tariff is not supported by those whom we subsidize as a state for their transportation, and we actually lose state money on this, while someone in private business makes money on it. Therefore, the UAC asks MPs to send a corresponding appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers to establish a single tariff, which will have a positive impact on the financial condition of Ukrzaliznytsia itself, because then they will not have unprofitable transportation, as they do now in some classes," Sokolov said.

The UAC Deputy Chairman also expressed his support for the initiative of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food to develop a mechanism to reduce the cost of delivering agricultural products from the frontline areas, which would allow further support for farmers. The decision should be developed by July 1 of this year.