Representatives of Ukraine’s agricultural sector discussed the key challenges currently affecting agricultural businesses with the President and the government. The meeting took place on September 15 with the participation of the Prime Minister, government officials and representatives of agricultural associations. Export logistics was one of the central issues: the security of maritime transportation and the stable operation of alternative export corridors remain critical for grain, oilseeds and processed agricultural products.
A separate group of proposals focused on access to finance. Agricultural representatives proposed extending the special terms of the “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” programme until 2028. At present, access to new loans under special conditions for the agricultural sector is limited to March 2027. Since additional financing for the planting campaign was launched, farmers have already received around UAH 6 billion through the programme.
Another proposal is to temporarily suspend business inspections during the current crisis in order to reduce the administrative burden. Farmers also called for changes to the state portfolio guarantee mechanism. Under the current rules, even a short delay in servicing a previous loan can prevent a producer from obtaining new financing backed by a state guarantee. Agricultural representatives argue that export disruptions and delayed payments can cause such arrears for reasons beyond a producer’s control.
Other issues discussed included loans secured by grain, insurance, road logistics, vehicle weight restrictions, support for civilian shipping and the development of agricultural processing. The government has been instructed to review the proposals raised by the agricultural sector. However, this does not mean that all proposed measures have already been approved — the relevant ministries are expected to develop specific solutions.