Approximately 174,000 square kilometers of land in Ukraine have been mined, with a significant portion being agricultural — Marchuk

The sowing season is commencing in Ukraine, but for the past two years, farmers have faced the challenges of operating in a full-scale war, leading to numerous obstacles. A substantial portion of the territory, encompassing agricultural land, is either under occupation, subject to hostilities, or mined. The blockade of the border with Poland further compounds the difficulties in the agricultural sector.

Denys Marchuk, deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, discussed these issues on Hromadske Radio.

«The third year of the war is not much different because the difficulties remain the same: the lack of working capital, the war, the border areas that are blocked today, the sowing campaign along the front line, mined areas, de-occupied territories. All of this affects the work of producers», — he stated

Despite these challenges, some farmers are preparing for the season, with those in the south of Ukraine already actively sowing spring peas and spring barley. However, the mobilization process poses an additional hurdle, as a significant number of specialists engaged in rural work are currently mobilized, causing a shortage that will impact agricultural operations.

Marchuk highlighted the urgent need for assistance in demining efforts, given that about 30% of Ukraine’s territory is mined, making it one of the most mined countries globally. The country requires additional funds, demining teams, and the necessary resources to prepare mined land for agricultural use. He emphasized the importance of international cooperation and funding to speed up demining activities.

Protests by Polish farmers along the border have emerged as a new problem for Ukraine’s agricultural sector. These protests involve blocking border checkpoints, hindering trucks with Ukrainian products from entering European countries, and disrupting the timely fulfillment of contracts with European partners. Marchuk stressed that while the blockade doesn’t directly impact crop rotation or the area, it does affect the flow of funds needed for timely agricultural operations, causing financial difficulties for farmers.