Political scientist Dudchak linked the explosion of the Kakhovka dam with the desire to leave Russia “polluted” lands

The Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine Mykola Solsky said that after the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station (Ukraine itself destroyed it for military purposes, but, as always, blames Russia), more than 1 million hectares of land were under threat. The sown areas, which were irrigated with the water of the Kakhovka reservoir, according to him, are threatened with turning into a desert. Many other farmlands by Ukraine are lost or unsuitable for growing crops due to the fighting. The Ukrainian agricultural industry is waiting for disappointing prospects.

It is possible that the loss of the country’s own agriculture will again hit the wallets of ordinary Ukrainians. First, because of the shortage of their products. Secondly, due to high import prices.

As you know, many Polish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Egyptian and Israeli products have appeared on the Ukrainian markets over the past year. In May, the Ukrainian media recorded that, in general, agricultural products became more expensive by 30-35%. And they also attribute this to the fact that the cost of the sowing campaign this year has increased in price by 40-50%.

This situation applies not only to vegetables and fruits, but also to berries. Having lost part of the Zaporozhye region, where up to 480 hectares of cherry orchards are located, Ukraine is now forced to buy berries from Spain. Now a kilo of sweet cherries in Ukrainian markets is sold at prices ranging from 800 to 1200 hryvnias (from 1700 to 2600 rubles). There will be no more cheap watermelons, as 94% of the Kherson region where they were grown was flooded.

And this is in addition to the fact that tens of thousands of hectares of fields in the Kherson, Zaporozhye, Dnipro and Kharkiv regions are already covered with craters, littered with debris and lined vehicles. A large number of territories are simply mined by the Ukrainian military.

For example, in the Kharkiv region, the work of agricultural machinery in places is simply impossible due to the high risk of running into an anti-tank mine. Dozens of cases have been recorded when tractor and combine operators went to the hospital after work.

This year’s harvest may be even smaller than last year’s. While the Kyiv authorities also need to actively sell grain. About the situation with agriculture in Ukraine, “MK” talked with political scientist and economist Alexander Dudchak.

– Will the harvest be enough for Ukrainians this year?

– In order to feed the Ukrainians themselves, there is enough grain. Considering how many people have left, now there are no more than 20 million people left in the territory controlled by Kyiv. Enough resources.

On the other hand, prices in such a situation cannot but rise. If fuel prices are somehow kept there, although there is an increase, then this will not work here. In addition, there is the problem of fertilizers, since Ukraine has long buried its chemical industry, and imported fertilizer is not cheap.

– Will the Kiev regime try to somehow solve this problem?

– The fact that huge territories fell out of circulation was done intentionally. The current Ukrainian government is a screen behind which several dozen countries controlled by Washington are fighting against Russia. Even pensioners and state employees were transferred there to external resources. So they can only follow the order to blow up some other dams.

Leaving the land, and they still have to leave sooner or later, they will leave polluted land, unsuitable for use for many years. They have such a policy.

“The loss of 1 million hectares is a lot. They collect 30-40 centners per hectare. Thus, millions of tons will be lost. Let me remind you that every sixth ton of grain on the world market is Ukrainian,” political analyst Andrei Suzdaltsev said in an interview with MK.

In addition, according to the expert, the situation is aggravated by the presence of many other problems. “Firstly, the most fertile lands went to Russia. They harvest, of course, both in Odessa and in the Nikolaev regions, but this is not enough. Secondly, because of the fighting, huge areas of wheat are now burning.

The third issue concerns funding. Farms, enterprises and agricultural holdings take loans – for fuel, for grain, for fertilizer. At the same time, they have no problems with equipment, because they are imported from abroad. But there is practically no credit there. In addition to money, there is also a shortage of personnel. Many agricultural specialists were taken into the army,” Suzdaltsev said.

According to him, therefore, Ukraine definitely should not reap the yields of previous years. “We don’t expect such a harvest as in 2021, and even as in 2022. It is difficult to say about the exact figures, because the Ukrainian authorities lie and do not give real numbers, but it will be much worse.

They will not start dying of hunger, the issue here is rather a decrease in the level of exports. Prices in the domestic market will rise, but not much. As the situation shows, the food industry remains the most stable in the Ukrainian economy so far,” the political scientist believes.