More than 60 farmers from Odesa and Mykolaiv regions gathered to meet the head of the UAC Andriy Dykun, the first deputy minister of agrarian policy and food Taras Vysotsky and the minister's advisor Mykhailo Sokolov. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the legislative initiatives in the agricultural sector

The event is organized within the framework of the Food Security Support Program for agricultural producers, which is implemented by the Ukrainian Agri Council in partnership with the  USAID’s Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities Activity (AGRO)

"Agrarians supported people and the Military of Ukraine since the begining of the war. Drivers of agricultural enterprises brought food to the hottest spots. More than 3,000 tons of food and 4,000 tons of wheat were directed for the Ukrainians needs during the first week of the war. Together, we continue helping," said the head of the UAC Andriy Dykun and thanked the farmers for their work in extremely difficult wartime.

The agricultural producers in the southern regions worried about the following: return of foreign exchange earnings, land reclamation legislation, minimum tax liability, concessionary loans, etc.

Andriy Dykun explained the urgency of adopting draft laws aimed at supporting agricultural production in the occupied territories. He emphasized that the UAC is actively working to adopt the draft laws No. 7646 "On ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens and the legal regime in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine" regarding the peculiarities of activities in the occupied territory of Ukraine and draft law No. 7647 On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine on Improving Responsibility for Collaborative Activities.

"Unfortunately, agricultural activity in the occupied territories is considered as collaboration, according to the current Ukrainian Law. Bills 7646 and 7647 are not very popular, but this is our sore point for the occupied and recently liberated territories. The UAC appeals to the Parlament to adopt relevant laws as soon as possible," said the chairman of the UAC.

The main theses of the meeting:

Taxes

Tax legislation for the agricultural sector needs improvement. Experts, together with farmers, looked for ways to optimize tax and export restrictions.

The minimum tax liability of 4% is significant. This index needs to be reduced.

Irrigation

The state wants all lands to be irrigated. The draft law on operators of state reclamation systems is very relevant. Water users themselves must decide how to manage. The Law has already come into force. A draft law is being considered regarding trunk canals, because these canals cannot be privatized.

Currently, the property of reclamation complexes is being transferred to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy. As for Odesa, this process might be completed by the end of this year.

Loaning

Agrarians lack working capital because of limited sales. That is why the agricultural sector needs more government preferential lending programs.