State budget faces up to UAH 4B shortfall in agricultural subsidies – Haidu

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The 2026 state budget may face a funding shortfall of up to UAH 4 billion for supporting the agricultural sector.

Oleksandr Haidu, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy, said this in an interview with Ukrinform’s program Ye Rozmova.

According to Haidu, the 2026 budget allocates more than UAH 13 billion for agricultural support. However, there is a risk of underfunding certain programs due to insufficient revenues in the special fund.

“We forecast a possible deficit of UAH 3.5–4 billion. Priority will be given to supporting frontline territories – funding there will be secured in any case. Other programs may be partially deferred to next year,” Haidu said.

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He added that despite wartime challenges, Ukraine’s agricultural sector continues to operate steadily and ensure the country’s food security.

At the same time, one of the key problems remains the mining of agricultural land. According to estimates by the Agrarian Committee, up to 20–25% of farmland is mined or contaminated with explosive devices.

As reported earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is introducing war-risk insurance and grants to support the recovery of agricultural businesses.