Ukraine agriculture faces land loss, export drops, and technical hurdles

Ukrainian agriculture faces significant operational hurdles due to the ongoing conflict and technical constraints. According to Volodymyr Pugachov of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, the war has rendered approximately 20% of the country's 35 million hectares of arable land unusable due to combat, occupation, or landmines.

Export capacities have dropped significantly. Monthly grain and cereal exports have fallen from pre-invasion levels of 4 to 5 million tonnes to approximately 1.5 million tonnes, as the inability to use the Black Sea forces reliance on limited road and rail routes. This has resulted in a stockpile of 23 to 24 million tonnes of grain awaiting shipment.

Labor shortages are also a critical issue, with farmers increasingly turning to new technologies for crop monitoring and resource application to compensate for fewer workers.

On a smaller scale, greenhouse producers are struggling with irrigation inefficiencies and viral diseases. A survey of small protected-crop producers found that irrigation difficulties are a primary obstacle, even surpassing war-related risks and energy costs. Additionally, viral threats like the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) pose severe risks, with potential yield losses reaching up to 70% in some cases.