Agriculture in Ukraine
Agriculture in Ukraine is one of the most important sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Although typically known as the industrial base of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine is one of the world's largest agricultural producers and exporters and is known as the "breadbasket of Europe". It encompasses about 30 to 40 millions of hectares of agricultural land, similar to Germany and France combined. In addition to providing the country's population with a stable supply of high-quality, safe and affordable food, Ukraine's agriculture sector is capable of making a significant contribution to solving the global problem of hunger. Its production potential significantly exceeds the needs of the domestic market. As such, Ukraine is an important supplier of food (and livestock feed) to North Africa, Asia, and Western Europe.
About 60% of Ukraine's soil used for agriculture consists of chornozem ("black earth"), a humus-rich soil type that is very fertile. Winter wheat, summer barley, and maize are the main cereal crops, while sunflowers and sugar beet are the main crops grown for industrial processing. The country has long been one of the world's largest agricultural exporters. For wheat, sugar beet, rapeseed, cucumber, rye, barley and walnuts, it was among the top 10 agricultural exporting countries in 2020, and for potatoes, buckwheat, cabbage, maize, pumpkin, carrots and sunflower oil, it was even among the top 5.
Agriculture underwent several major changes in the 20th and 21st centuries. The collectivisation of agriculture in the 1930s and privatisation at the end of the 20th century had particularly significant consequences. The Russo-Ukrainian War since 2014, and especially the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine since 24 February 2022, also had a major impact, as production in parts of the country was greatly reduced. As of May 2024, about 30% of the total potential of the agricultural sector was destroyed, and almost 20% of agricultural land was occupied as a direct result of Russia's war against Ukraine. On the other hand, by 2024, Ukraine's agricultural exports had recovered to pre-war levels.