Ukraine's Agriculture Minister Says Black Sea Export Disruption May Last Until Summer 2027: Kyiv Asks EU for €1.5 Billion as Some 6.3 Million Hectares May Go Unplanted
Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotsky said on November 12, at a webinar organised by the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, that with Russia attacking ports and commercial ships, Ukraine's capacity to export through the Black Sea is limited, and the government is bracing for export disruptions until at least the summer of 2027, with alternative routes unable to move grain on the same scale as the Black Sea ports.
Vysotsky estimated agricultural export losses at over $5 billion (about €4.3 billion) over a year, with an additional $2.4 billion (about €2.1 billion) in extra logistics costs. He is asking Brussels for €1.5 billion to help farmers through the next season, warning that about 6.3 million hectares could go unplanted. The request is separate from broader EU assistance.
This summer he unsuccessfully sought €220 million in EU aid; Brussels refused, arguing that the bloc is already providing support through other tools.
Citing Agriculture Ministry data, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club said farmers had sown 5.8 million hectares of winter crops as of November 10, or 91.8 percent of the forecast area, and that the winter sowing area is projected at about 6.32 million hectares, down about 5.9 percent year on year, amid unsold stockpiles, logistical restrictions, a shortage of working capital and rising production costs. Maize, Ukraine's largest grain export, relies heavily on Black Sea shipping to reach markets in Africa and Asia.
(Source: Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine)
Source: Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：乌克兰的小麦收获（公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons）。 / Photo: Wheat harvest in Ukraine (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
