Russia's intensified attacks on Ukraine's port infrastructure and civilian vessels in the Black Sea have already had a significant impact on the country's agricultural export logistics. As security risks continue to escalate, foreign vessels have temporarily suspended calls at Ukrainian ports, creating serious challenges for the export of the new harvest.
Pavlo Koval, Director General of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Confederation (UAC), shared these assessments in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
Even China Will Feel the Impact: Halt of Ukrainian Grain Exports Threatens Global Food Security, Says Leonid Kozachenko
For the sixth consecutive day, Ukraine has been unable to export agricultural products through its Black Sea ports.
Pavlo Koval, Director General of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC), spoke on Ukrainian Radio about Europe's largest Field Days near Magdeburg, the emergence of a new technological model for European agriculture, the future transformation of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and Ukraine's role in this process.
— You recently attended the Field Days in Germany. What made this event particularly significant?
These are the largest agricultural field demonstrations in Europe, held every two years, alternating between eastern and western Germany. This year's event took place near Magdeburg. For me, it was an opportunity to see firsthand how Europe is building a new model of agricultural production.
The European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy is entering a period of structural change. It is no longer only about farm income, market regulation or rural development. The emerging CAP is becoming part of a broader European agenda: food security, strategic autonomy, technological competitiveness, resource efficiency and economic resilience.
The war in Ukraine, the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and accelerating climate change are increasingly affecting global food security. Today's challenges demonstrate that the stability of the global food market depends not only on agricultural production but also on resilient logistics, reliable critical infrastructure, and effective international cooperation.
This was emphasized by Pavlo Koval, Director General of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation (UAC), commenting to GlobalWatch on the growing risks facing the global agricultural sector.
According to Koval, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked a turning point for the global food supply system. The blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports in 2022 exposed the vulnerability of international food supply chains. The simultaneous surge in grain, energy, fertilizer, and transportation costs quickly affected markets across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
The developments of spring 2026 confirmed one of the central trends in global agricultural policy: leading economies increasingly view agriculture not only as a production sector, but also as a component of economic resilience, food security and strategic autonomy.
Global agricultural markets are entering a period in which competitiveness will be determined not only by production volumes or price, but also by the ability of states and companies to control supply chains, manage risks and ensure quality, traceability and export stability.
Pavlo Koval, Director General of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation (UAC), provided an in-depth analysis of Ukraine’s spring sowing campaign during an interview on Ukrainian Radio. The discussion focused on the impact of abnormal weather conditions, the escalating labor shortage, and diverging forecasts for the upcoming harvest. Below is an extended summary of the key points from the interview.
— Mr. Koval, how have this spring’s weather conditions affected the sowing campaign schedule? How critical is the delay?
The Director General of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation, Pavlo Koval, provided a detailed analysis of this year’s spring sowing campaign during a broadcast on Ukrainian Radio. He explained why farmers are being forced to reconsider crop structures, how global geopolitics is affecting production costs, and what transformations of the European market Ukrainian businesses should prepare for.
– Mr. Koval, the spring sowing campaign is already well underway. What are the key challenges farmers are facing, and how does this “fifth wartime sowing campaign” differ from the previous ones?
Pavlo Koval: More than one million hectares of early grains and legumes have already been sown, and some farms are beginning to plant sugar beet. However, this campaign will certainly not be cheaper or easier. There are several fundamental challenges common to all regions.
The third Ukraine - The Netherlands Agricultural Dialogue (UANLAD) took place on 30 and 31 March, 2026 in Breda, The Netherlands. The UANLAD is co-organized by the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum UNAF and the Netherlands Farmers’ and Growers’ Association LTO NEDERLAND with full support and encouragement of the Ministries of Agriculture of both countries.
The third UANLAD event was opened by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Mr Taras Kachka, LTO President Mr Ger Koopmans, UNAF director Ms Mariia Didukh and senior Ukrainian and Dutch government representatives. Ambassadors Mr Andrii Kostin and Mr Alle Dorhout were also present at the meeting.
Director General of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation Pavlo Koval, speaking on Ukrainian Radio, provided a comprehensive analysis of the key challenges currently facing Ukrainian farmers. In an in-depth discussion, he outlined the hidden complexities of European integration, explained the impact of the Middle East crisis on the cost of the sowing campaign in Ukraine, and emphasized the critical importance of implementing artificial intelligence to address the labor shortage.