Mykolaiv region farmers suffered significant crop losses due to drought

Due to the severe drought in Mykolaiv region, farmers are recording significant losses, with corn and sunflower crops particularly affected. Local communities have already received about 700 appeals from farmers.

This was reported to Suspilne Mykolaiv by Heorhiy Reshetilov, First Deputy Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration.

"The actual number of victims is higher, but many farmers do not record losses due to tax issues - some of them received tax credits and, accordingly, the destroyed or damaged crop will lead to adjustments to the value added tax declaration (i.e., farmers took out loans with the expectation of selling the crop and paying the tax, but they will not be able to do so with the destroyed crop , so they have to avoid recording it).

A combine harvester removes dried sunflower. PHOTO: Suspilne

Currently, there are no effective compensation mechanisms for farmers. In this regard, the UGA appealed to the Ministry of Economy with proposals, including the extension of the 5-7-9 preferential lending program, the preservation of the preferential rate for frontline areas, and the abolition or postponement of the minimum tax liability.

According to agronomist Yakiv Pinchuk, the sunflower harvest in some fields will be only 3 centners per hectare, while last year it was 6 to 12. The wheat and barley harvest also does not cover the cost of cultivation.

Dried sunflower seeds. PHOTO: Suspilne

Farmers noted that they have not experienced a drought of this severity in the last 30 years. Farmers' losses are currently about 200 million hryvnias. The drought caused a surge in pests and the development of diseases. In particular, sunflower has been affected by dry rot of the head and phomosis, while corn suffers from a lack of moisture - its leaves curl and growth stops. In some areas of Mykolaiv region, corn did not reach the brooming stage at all. Because of this, the crop was mowed for green fodder, and the fields were then disked.

Recently, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine announced a call for applications for budget subsidies for agricultural producers from Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions who grow cotton. After checking the documents, the regional commission will inform the applicant of approval or rejection with an explanation of the reasons through the State Agrarian Register system.

Катерина Глушко