Farmers in the frontline areas of Ukraine continue to face serious challenges that threaten the stability of the agricultural sector. During a briefing at Media Center Ukraine, Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council Denys Marchuk spoke about the difficulties of agricultural production in the “red” zones and emphasized the need to strengthen state support and access to financial resources:

“The situation in the frontline areas is extremely difficult. Mined fields, constant shelling, damaged crop storage infrastructure and drought make agricultural production extremely dangerous and often impossible. However, these areas are important for the country's food security and farmers there need special support.”

Since the beginning of the de-occupation, the government has managed to clear about 400,000 hectares of land of mines. However, to use these lands effectively, farmers need modern technologies, which requires additional financial resources that are currently difficult to obtain.

“Limited access to finance is a significant obstacle to production. Many producers cannot take advantage of loans because the frontline areas are designated as “red zones” where banks are reluctant to provide services. Farmers are often forced to abandon cultivated farmland due to enemy attacks and lose part of their crops. At the moment, farmers in the “red zones” receive a per-hectare allowance from the government of UAH 2,000, which is not enough to cover their expenses. Financial support is critical for these regions. Loans should be postponed for those producers who were forced to leave the occupation zone. These are the issues that the UAC is actively raising,” emphasized Denys Marchuk.

The UAC also advocates the extension of the state lending program 5-7-9 beyond March 2025 and an increase in credit limits.

“It is necessary to increase the financing limits from UAH 90 million to UAH 150 million and extend the 5-7-9 program. It is important for the agricultural sector to have long-term and affordable financial support. Extending the program and increasing the funding limits will allow producers to plan the upcoming sowing season now, which is critical for the next season,” he emphasized.