Agricultural production in Ukraine has begun to slow down: data from the State Statistics Service
24 June 05:50
The pace of recovery in agricultural production in Ukraine has begun to slow. In January–May 2026, agricultural output rose by 1.4% compared to the same period last year. This was reported by the State Statistics Service, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
At the same time, the growth rate for January–April was 1.7%. Thus, in May, the positive trend in Ukrainian agriculture weakened somewhat.
What’s Happening with Agricultural Production in Ukraine
In the first five months of 2026, the agricultural production index stood at 101.4% compared to the corresponding period in 2025.
This means that total production volume increased by 1.4%. However, the growth rate was higher the previous month—1.7%.
The positive figure is currently driven entirely by the livestock sector. Official statistics on crop production are not traditionally compiled until the start of the active harvest season.
Therefore, the statistics for January–May do not yet reflect the situation with the production of grains, oilseeds, and other agricultural crops.
Agricultural enterprises increased production by nearly 11%
Agricultural enterprises remained the main driver of growth. In January–May 2026, they increased agricultural production by 10.9% compared to the same period last year.
This indicates a significant difference between the results of large and medium-sized agricultural companies and private farms.
The strongest growth among agricultural enterprises was recorded in the western and some southern regions of Ukraine.
Regions with the highest growth
Agricultural production at enterprises grew the most in Zakarpattia Oblast—by 33.1%.
The top five regions with the best performance also included:
- Chernivtsi Oblast—a 31.8% increase;
- Lviv Oblast—up 28.4%;
- Khmelnytskyi Oblast—up 27%;
- Odesa Oblast—up 24.9%.
These figures demonstrate that the agricultural sector in some regions continues to actively restore its production capacity.
Particularly high growth rates are observed in regions located farther from the combat zone and with more stable operating conditions for businesses.
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Where Agricultural Production Has Declined
In several regions, agricultural enterprises, on the contrary, reduced their production volumes.
The sharpest decline was recorded in the Kherson region—a 40.4% drop. The region’s agricultural sector continues to suffer significant losses due to hostilities, landmines, infrastructure damage, and problems with access to land.
Declines were also observed in:
- Sumy Oblast—by 6.4%;
- Mykolaiv Oblast—by 3.8%;
- Vinnytsia Oblast—by 1.2%.
Indicators for border and frontline regions remain unstable due to the security situation and ongoing risks to the agricultural sector.
Household farms reduced production by 15.3%
Unlike agricultural enterprises, private farms continue to show a significant decline.
In January–May 2026, production on private farms fell by 15.3% compared to the same period in 2025.
At the same time, the rate of decline has slowed somewhat. Based on the results of the first four months, the decline was 15.7%.
Thus, the situation in the private sector has improved slightly, but the overall trend remains negative.
In which regions did the private sector contract the most?
The sharpest decline in household production was recorded in Donetsk Oblast—66.2%.
Significant declines were also observed in:
- Ternopil Oblast—by 39.2%;
- Zaporizhzhia Oblast—by 28%;
- Zakarpattia Oblast—by 26.1%.
The reasons for the decline may include a reduction in livestock numbers, rising feed costs, a shortage of workers, population migration, and the low profitability of small-scale production.
In some frontline regions, the figures are also affected by hostilities, the evacuation of residents, and the loss of access to farmland.
Growth in private farms was recorded only in Kyiv Oblast
The Kyiv region was the only region where private farms increased production.
There, production increased by 0.9% compared to January–May of last year.
In other regions, private farms either reduced production or showed no significant growth.
This confirms the general trend toward a growing role for professional agricultural enterprises in the structure of Ukraine’s agricultural production.
Why Do the Figures for Enterprises and Households Differ So Much?
Large and medium-sized agricultural companies have greater opportunities to invest in production, modern equipment, veterinary drugs, feed, and logistics.
They also more frequently take advantage of government and international support programs, credit, and risk insurance.
In contrast, private farms rely heavily on their own financial resources. Rising costs of animal care and declining profitability are forcing some households to reduce their livestock herds or cease production entirely.
This trend is particularly evident in livestock farming, which requires daily expenses, constant care, and stable sales channels.
In 2025, agricultural production fell by nearly 7%
Despite modest growth in early 2026, the agricultural sector has not yet recovered from last year’s decline.
By the end of 2025, agricultural production in Ukraine had declined by 6.8% compared to 2024.
Therefore, the current 1.4% growth indicates only a gradual recovery following a significant decline.
Future trends will depend primarily on crop production results, weather conditions, yields, the security situation, and opportunities for exporting Ukrainian agricultural products.
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