KYIV, June 18 – Three regions in southern Ukraine — Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolaiv — have begun harvesting winter barley, and farmers are gradually preparing for the next crop cycle, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval said on national television.

The minister noted that during the 2025 spring sowing campaign, Ukrainian farmers planted the same area of grain and leguminous crops as in 2024 — 5.7 million hectares. Including sunflower, soybean, and sugar beet, the total sown area reached 7.8 million hectares. The leaders in sowing were the Poltava, Chernihiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia, and Cherkasy regions.

“This year, we will definitely ensure food security — not only for Ukraine but also for other countries in need,” Koval said.

He acknowledged that Ukrainian farmers continue to work under extremely difficult conditions.

“Unfortunately, we face challenges daily: infrastructure destruction and the inability to plan normally. Yet we are already used to working not only for ourselves but also for others,” the minister said.

According to him, Ukraine has a production surplus of one to four for most crops, and up to one to twenty for oilseeds. This allows Ukraine to export surplus produce and attract foreign currency inflows.

Koval also reported a shift in crop rotation in 2025, including an expansion in wheat acreage, even though wheat remains a low-margin crop for many farmers.

Weather conditions in May were relatively favorable, he added, but the issue of irrigation remains serious. Due to infrastructure damage, 94% of irrigated systems in Kherson region are non-functional, along with 74% in Zaporizhia and 30% in Dnipropetrovsk. These areas previously relied on the now-destroyed Kakhovka Reservoir.

“The problems of destroyed and stolen equipment are still unresolved. Some 30,000 tractors have been destroyed or stolen, along with 2,500 combines. Farmers are forced to import and purchase new equipment to carry out fieldwork,” Koval said.

He added that in 2024, Ukraine imported agricultural equipment worth $1 billion — mainly tractors, combines, and attachments. Additionally, farmers used the state program for partial compensation of domestic equipment costs, receiving UAH 4 billion in reimbursements. (om/ez)