In wartime conditions, grant programmes have become a key driver of growth for Ukraine's fruit and vegetable sector. According to Taras Bashtannyk, President of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UHA), since 2022, with the support of the relevant Ministry and international partners, about 4,000 hectares of perennial plantations have been established or are planned in Ukraine. Without state and donor funding, this figure would not have exceeded 1,000 hectares.
"Grants have had a particularly notable effect on greenhouse farming: without subsidies, there would practically have been no investment at all. This is critical for a country which, after losing part of its southern regions, has still not restored fruit and vegetable production volumes necessary for both the domestic market and export," Taras Bashtannyk said in a comment to EastFruit.
Horticulture and berry farming remain among the most export-oriented segments of Ukraine's agricultural economy. They provide high production intensity and create significantly more jobs compared to other types of agricultural activity.
According to experts from the Ukrainian Horticultural Association (UHA), maintaining and expanding grant programs in the coming years would bring several benefits. It would accelerate the replacement of orchards and greenhouses that were lost during the war, thereby enhancing Ukraine's agricultural infrastructure.
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