Russia’s war has forced Ukraine’s grain farmers into a vicious dilemma. Those in areas now free from Russian occupation wonder if they should risk their lives to strip land of explosive…
POTIOMKYNE, Ukraine — A grassy lane rutted with tire tracks leads to Volodymyr Zaiets’ farm in southern Ukraine. He is careful, driving only within those shallow grooves — veering away might cost him his life in the field dotted with explosive mines.
They have soaring production and transportation costs caused by Russia’s blockade of many Black Sea ports, and several neighboring European countries imposed import restrictions on Ukrainian grain to prevent a glut. The FAO says 90% of agricultural businesses lost revenue and 12% reported lands contaminated with mines. Land planted with grain dropped last year to 11.6 million hectares from 16 million hectares in 2021. That’s expected to fall to 10.2 million hectares this year.
“We have nearly 40 big farmers in our area, and nearly everyone is unable to access their lands except two,” said Hanna Shostak-Kuchmiak, head of the Vysokopillya administration that includes several villages in northern Kherson.“Our heroes,” said Shostak-Kuchmiak, “who were driving their cars around picking up mines and bringing them to our deminers.”
“If we sow, if we grow crops, people will have jobs, salaries and they will have a means to feed their families,” Shkuropat said. “But if we don’t do anything, we will have nothing.” “No one is paying attention to the fact that already 40% less wheat has been seeded , and we expect 50% less corn will be seeded in Ukraine,” he said, drawing on data from 3,000 farmers.
“We had some vessels which were waiting close to 80 days in the queue simply to be loaded,” said Vadaturskyi of Nibulon. “Someone has to lose that money, either the buyer, owner of the vessel or trader.”
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Ukraine farmers surrounded by risks, from mines to logisticsRussia's war has forced Ukraine's grain farmers into a vicious dilemma. Those in areas now free from Russian occupation are risking their lives to strip their land of explosives before the critical spring planting season. But they still must cope with soaring production and transportation costs caused by Russia’s blockade of many Black Sea ports and recent restrictions that neighboring countries imposed on Ukrainian grain. The dual crisis is causing many farmers to cut back on sowing crops. The head of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Ukraine says that the “drastic reduction” of grain crops potentially threatens global food security.
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