No critical shortage of agri-products expected this year despite flood in south - Agrarian Ministry

This year, Ukrainian consumers will experience no critical shortage of agricultural products due to the flooding in the country’s south, caused by the Kakhovka HPP dam blast.

Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitaliy Holovnia announced this on the air of the nationwide telethon, reports Ukrinform.

"We will not experience a critical shortage of food products this year. That’s because last year, we already lost a significant part of farmland in this region and our farmers were able to reorient their efforts. In particular, other regions have taken over a significant volume of output, especially vegetables," Holovnia said.

At the same time, as a result of the explosion at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, Ukraine will lose a certain part of its grain harvest. However, these losses will not be significant, the report says.

"In general, we will lose a certain amount of grain, but the main part of irrigated land in the south is on the left bank of the Dnipro. The right-bank territories are the so-called ‘gray zone.’ Farmers did not grow much there anyway because there are constant strikes and combat clashes. Therefore, this year it will definitely not be worse than last year," deputy minister noted.

As reported, direct and indirect losses to the Ukrainian agricultural sector from the explosion at the Kakhovka HPP may increase to more than $10 billion as it is deemed impossible to proceed with farming at full swing in the territories devastated by flood.