In the conditions of war and destroyed infrastructure, the government has decided to "unfreeze" additional financial support for farmers. The Cabinet of Ministers has adopted a resolution that allows farmers engaged in vegetable growing to use the state program "Affordable Loans 5-7-9%" for the construction of vegetable and potato storage facilities. This was reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
This is about the opportunity to receive compensation for the interest rate on loans - in the amount of up to 150 million hryvnias, similar to the conditions that already apply to livestock and processing enterprises.
According to Minister of Agricultural Policy Vitaliy Koval, this will give farmers a chance to invest in critical infrastructure with minimal financial burden. And most importantly, it will reduce seasonal price swings for vegetables and fruits.
"Due to the war, the storage shortage reached 60%. The need for new facilities is 340 thousand tons. This is a matter of food security. Building storage facilities is not a luxury, but a necessity," Koval said.
It is worth noting: the current "5-7-9%" program is not direct financing, but a tool to reduce the cost of loans already taken. Farmers who invest in the construction of vegetable storage facilities will be able to repay the loan with a significantly lower overpayment - the interest will be compensated by the state.
Despite the attractiveness of such support, experts warn that access to the program for small farmers is still complicated by bureaucracy and bank distrust. However, those who can "fit in" with the conditions have a real chance to solve two problems at once - product storage and market stability.
According to official data, the implementation of the program should cover farmers from regions where infrastructure has been most destroyed - primarily the South and East of Ukraine.
