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Photo: SuperAgronom.com
The cost of harvesting crops for Ukrainian farmers has significantly increased due to a surge in diesel fuel prices and a simultaneous drop in purchase prices for wheat. According to Ivan Slobodianyk, Executive Director of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities, the purchasing power of agrarians has fallen by almost four times as a result, casting doubt on the profitability of the entire harvest campaign.
The situation is further complicated by risks to grain exports and the constant threat of shelling of grain storage facilities and elevators in frontline regions. Farmers are forced to simultaneously address several critical issues: how to carry out the harvest under conditions of danger, where to sell it at a reasonable price, and how to preserve what has already been harvested.
According to Ivan Slobodianyk, the discussion is no longer about profit.
"No one is talking about making money anymore. The question is simply to survive and make it to the next year," emphasized the head of the association, summarizing the critical state of the sector on the eve of the new agricultural season.
He predicts that Ukraine may face a shortage of storage space for approximately 11 million tons of various grains and legumes. While forecasts on this issue range from cautiously optimistic to pessimistic, the fact of a significant deficit in storage facilities is no longer in doubt.
Read also: Harvest-2026: what yields of early crops did Ukrainian agrarians receive
Among alternative solutions, farmers are considering storing crops directly on their farms, including proven methods such as polymer sleeves, modular storage, and floor storage. These solutions are already being actively explored, and agricultural associations have appealed to the relevant ministry and international donors with a request for assistance in finding equipment and resources for their implementation in the required volumes.
The state proposes using the capacities of the State Food and Grain Corporation. However, according to Ivan Slobodianyk, there are serious risks that large accumulations of grain could become targets for attacks, given the enemy’s strategy of destroying farmsteads in frontline territories. Therefore, even with alternative storage available, the key question remains whether this grain can be sold profitably later.
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Olena Basanets, SuperAgronom.com
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