On March 13, the Forum of Farmers of Poltava Region took place, organized by the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) in cooperation with the Poltava Regional Military Administration. The event brought together more than 200 participants — regional farmers, government representatives, and Members of Parliament of Ukraine. Participants discussed the key challenges currently facing the agricultural sector, as well as the necessary legislative and policy solutions.

The forum was opened by Vitalii Diakivnych, Head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, and Oleksandr Bilenkyi, Head of the Poltava Regional Council. They emphasized the strategic importance of the agricultural sector for the economic development of both the region and the country as a whole.

One of the first topics of discussion was the role of regional policy and rural development in the context of Ukraine’s European integration. Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka highlighted the importance of developing regional strategies.

“In the European Union, most economic development support programs are implemented through regions. Therefore, it is crucial to have clear rural development strategies. Through such strategies, it is much easier to attract funding for establishing farms, processing enterprises, or factories than through direct subsidies to farmers. Regional and district administrations, as well as local communities, should be actively involved in shaping these strategies,” he noted.

Special attention during the forum was also given to state support for farmers and production risk management. In particular, new approaches to the development of agricultural insurance were presented.

Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi reported that the new program предусматривает insurance for winter grain crops, including wheat, rye, and barley. The state will compensate part of the insurance premiums: up to 60% for farmers in frontline areas and up to 45% for other regions. Insurance companies INGO, Universalna, and VUSO are already participating in the program.

During the event, participants also discussed access of Ukrainian agricultural products to international markets.

“The Ukrainian agricultural sector produces significantly more food than the domestic market can consume. Therefore, access to external markets is critically important for the sector’s development. In the process of integration into the European market, it is important to find a balance between market openness and protecting the interests of Ukrainian producers. The rules of the game must be clear and predictable,” emphasized UAC Chairman Andrii Dukun.

An important part of the forum was a panel discussion with Members of Parliament Kostiantyn Kasai, Oleksii Movchan, and Oleksii Ustenko. During the discussion, farmers from Poltava region had the opportunity to directly ask questions to the MPs and discuss key industry issues. In particular, topics included the return of export duties on rapeseed and soybeans, irrigation reform and the development of water user organizations, water resource management, consolidation of agricultural land, reduction of excise duty on diesel fuel for farmers, and the use of local roads by heavy vehicles.

Following the forum, participants agreed to establish a working group in Poltava region that will address key issues faced by farmers and prepare proposals for solutions at the national level.