The war in Ukraine is dealing a devastating blow to the agricultural sector, which is constantly facing new challenges. Hundreds of farms have been destroyed or seized by the occupiers, and thousands of farmers have been left without access to their land and assets. In this context, the draft law No. 12148 on suspending loans for farmers whose property is in the occupied territories (developed with the participation of the UAC) is extremely relevant.

A vivid example of the current situation is the story of Valerii Stoyanov, the Head of the STEM farm located in Zaporizhzhia region. The company, which specialized in growing grains, legumes, and oilseeds, was one of the largest in the region.

“We started with 30 hectares in 2005. Thanks to hard work, by 2022 our land bank had grown to 2,500 hectares. We had modern machinery, our own warehouses and hangars. But with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, everything was lost,” said Valerii Stoyanov.

In February 2022, when the Pryazov district of Zaporizhzhia region was under occupation, the farm was nationalized by ‘kadyriv’ people, who seized warehouses, hangars and equipment, brought their managers and began using the enterprise for their own purposes.

“At the time of the seizure, we had about 7,000 tons of grain in our warehouses, and the total amount of losses was about 15 million USD. But that's not the end. Banks continue to charge interest on the loans we took for our development,” said the farmer.

An agricultural enterprise cannot exist without borrowed funds. In February 2022, the company took out a loan of 15 million UAH to purchase fertilizers and prepare for the sowing campaign. The war has crossed out all plans.

“When the war came to our farm, we were left not only without business but also with debts to banks. The courts ruled in favor of the banks. We lost all appeals. We are now preparing to appeal to the Supreme Court and then to the European Court of Human Rights. This struggle is difficult, but injustice must be stopped,” the farmer added.

According to Valerii Stoyanov, the state must take responsibility for supporting farmers who have lost everything because of the war. “We did not take out loans for personal enrichment. All the money was spent on farm development. The state should be the guarantor of these loans, especially in times of war when businesses have no opportunity to operate,” he said.

The farmer believes that the adoption of a law on suspending loans in the occupied territories is a necessary step. This law will stop the accrual of interest and block lawsuits by banks until de-occupation.

“If this law is not adopted, many farmers will simply not be able to resume their activities after the liberation of the territories,” emphasized the head of the occupied agricultural enterprise.

Despite the loss of his farm, Valerii Stoyanov continues to fight for Ukraine. Since 2014, he has been participating in the Antiterrorist operation in Ukraine, and after the start of the full-scale invasion, he has become a volunteer. “We have to defend our land, even if we lose everything,” the farmer believes.

On December 18, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 12148 “On Amendments to the Final and Transitional Provisions of the Civil Code of Ukraine on the Peculiarities of Lending and Financial Leasing during the Period of Martial Law”.

The draft law establishes a temporary prohibition on the enforcement of debt collection from farmers whose property is located in the zone of hostilities or in the temporarily occupied territories for the period of martial law and for one year after its termination. This long-awaited document is the result of the work of the UAC experts, farmers, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, MPs and many concerned people who have been fighting for its adoption for two years.

The UAC calls on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to adopt Draft Law No. 12148 as soon as possible. Every day of delay means additional losses for farmers.