The pace of humanitarian demining of agricultural land in Ukraine remains critically slow, raising concerns among both farmers and policymakers. Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, stated that current land-clearance rates are far below what is required and could hinder the recovery of agricultural production across large areas of the country.
According to official data, only five demining contracts covering approximately 600 hectares were completed by the end of spring, with a total value of UAH 38.4 million. At the same time, no new agricultural land clearance contracts were signed during May. Overall, the government program currently includes 125 contracts covering nearly 25,000 hectares of farmland with a total value exceeding UAH 1.57 billion.
The issue extends beyond economics and directly affects public safety. An estimated 9.85 million hectares of land remain contaminated with explosive hazards, while more than six million people live in potentially dangerous areas. As a result, thousands of hectares of productive farmland remain unavailable for cultivation, limiting agricultural output, reducing employment opportunities, and constraining export potential.
Experts emphasize that urgent action is needed to accelerate demining efforts. Ukraine’s 2026 state budget allocates UAH 2 billion for humanitarian demining programs, but there is a significant risk that a portion of these funds could remain unused, as occurred in previous years. Industry specialists argue that faster progress will require streamlined procedures, additional demining operators, and stronger international support. The speed of land clearance has become one of the most important factors determining the future recovery and growth of Ukraine’s agricultural sector.