State ready to provide farmers with up to UAH 20 bln of state guarantees for sowing season 2022 – Shmyhal

Ukraine is ready to provide state guarantees for loans issued for the 2022 sowing campaign in the total amount of UAH 20 billion, although the government understands the risks associated with issuing such loans, since due to the military aggression of the Russian Federation it is impossible to predict which territories may be occupied or mined, and on which it will be impossible to harvest this year.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal spoke about incentives for Ukrainian business from the state in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

"We understand all the risks, but at the same time we are ready to give state guarantees totaling UAH 20 billion. That is, we guarantee loans, understanding the risks of occupation, mining or the inability to harvest," the prime minister stressed.

He recalled that on March 26, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine allowed the issuance of loans to agricultural producers for the purchase of the resources they need for the 2022 sowing campaign. For these purposes, state guarantees for lending for the sowing campaign have been increased to UAH 1.5 billion for one enterprise, so that both small and large businesses can use financing.

Shmyhal specified that relevant data on the sowing season for the current season can be expected as early as April.

"The sowing campaign started successfully, winter crops were sown 5% more than last year. Of course, spring crops will be sown less. We expect a decrease in sown areas by approximately 30%. But we will be able to fully see all the numbers only in April, because there will be nuances depending on where the front line is and how heavily the fields are mined," the prime minister explained.

According to him, Ukraine has already opened the border for humanitarian cargo to ensure its own production and import into the country of everything necessary: food, medicine, fuel and essential goods, household chemicals, hygiene products.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua