Ukrainian fruit and vegetable producers presented a unified national booth at the international Fruit Attraction 2026 exhibition, which is taking place October 6–8 in Madrid, according to Volodymyr Pechko, honorary chairman of the “UKRSADVINPROM” public association.
According to him, Ukraine’s participation in the exhibition has not only promotional but also practical export significance, as it gives producers the opportunity to work directly with international buyers, importers, retailers, and distributors.
“For Ukrainian producers, this is an opportunity to directly present their products to international buyers, find new partners, establish export contacts, and demonstrate that the Ukrainian horticulture and berry sector continues to operate, develop, and enter international markets even amid the war,” Pechko noted.
Fruit Attraction is one of the largest international trade shows in the fruit and vegetable sector. It is organized by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX. In 2026, the exhibition will be held for the 18th time and has brought together approximately 2,500 companies from 78 countries. The exhibition covers 162,000 square meters, and organizers expect over 121,000 trade visitors from more than 150 countries.
The Ukrainian national pavilion features “Vitamin 2025,” the “Gadz” farm, “Agrarian Company 2004” LLC, “Gribnyi Biznes” LLC, “Alta Kraina,” the “Korsun” agricultural firm, the “Vladam” farming enterprise, the “Yu-Food” public association, and the “UKRSADVINPROM” public association.
The national pavilion is organized by the “UKRSADVINPROM” Public Association, headed by Volodymyr Pechko. The organization represents the interests of Ukrainian producers in the horticulture, berry, grape, winemaking, and nut sectors.
According to Pechko, participation in such international events allows not only individual companies to be represented but also helps shape a cohesive image of Ukraine as a reliable producer and exporter of high-quality agricultural products.
The national pavilion was organized with the support of the International Trade Centre as part of the EU4Business project, funded by the European Union, under the patronage of the relevant Ukrainian ministries and the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain.
Fruit Attraction is being held in Madrid from October 6 to 8. The exhibition covers the entire fruit and vegetable supply chain—from the production of fresh fruits and vegetables to processing, packaging, logistics, technology, and international trade.
agricultural sector, EXPORTS, Fruit Attraction, HORTICULTURE, UKRAINE, UKRSADVINPROM, ПЕЧКО
Starting October 16, 2026, Ukraine will temporarily suspend the acceptance of applications for government grants to establish and develop orchards, berry farms, vineyards, and greenhouse operations.
According to EastFruit, agricultural producers planning to take advantage of government support this year may submit an application through October 15.
The acceptance of applications is scheduled to resume in the first quarter of 2027. Funding to continue the program has been allocated in next year’s state budget.
According to data provided by EastFruit, 61 decisions have already been made in 2026 to award such grants totaling 300 million UAH.
Specifically, 40 decisions totaling 170 million UAH relate to the establishment and development of orchards, berry farms, and vineyards. Another 21 decisions totaling 130 million UAH were approved for the development of greenhouse farming.
To date, 34 grants for projects in the fields of fruit growing, berry farming, and viticulture have been fully funded, totaling 137 million UAH. Another 19 grants totaling 123 million UAH have been funded for the development of greenhouse operations.
The state-supported projects call for the creation of 428.4 hectares of new perennial plantings and 31.5 hectares of modular greenhouses.
Their implementation is also expected to create 282 permanent and 5,518 seasonal jobs.
Farmers who do not manage to submit their applications by October 15 (inclusive) will be able to apply for a grant once the application period reopens in 2027.
The 2026 state support program for horticulture and greenhouse farming provides grants of up to 7 million UAH per project, but not exceeding 70% of the project’s cost. For enterprises in de-occupied and frontline territories, the share of state funding may reach 80%. Applications are submitted through the “Diya” portal.
agricultural sector, GRANT, greenhouse, HORTICULTURE, UKRAINE
Oschadbank has announced the launch of the “Green Farming in the Horticulture Sector” program, under which Ukrainian fruit growers will be able to receive grants of up to 10,000 euros and preferential bank financing to implement climate-resilient technologies. The program is officially scheduled to launch on July 22, 2026.
Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, a member of Oschadbank’s board responsible for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, announced the bank’s participation in the program during her presentation on July 15 at the Ukrinform press center.
The agro-industrial sector is one of the key drivers of the Ukrainian economy: it accounts for 17–19% of the country’s GDP and accounts for 41% of Ukrainian exports, and more than 70% of agricultural producers are small and medium-sized farms. The program is specifically designed to support this segment, helping Ukrainian fruit growers invest in modern technologies and increase the competitiveness of their farms.
“Oschadbank is one of the leaders in implementing the principles of sustainable financing in the micro, small, and medium-sized business segment. We are systematically expanding Ukrainian entrepreneurs’ access to modern financial instruments that help them invest in climate-resilient technologies. Today, Oschadbank’s loan portfolio in the agricultural sector exceeds 17.7 billion UAH and accounts for over 53% of the MSME business division’s loan portfolio. “The ‘Green Farming in Horticulture’ program will provide Ukrainian horticulturists with additional opportunities to modernize production and develop their farms,” noted Natalia Butkova-Vitvitskaya, a member of Oschadbank’s Management Board responsible for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.
Sustainable financing is one of the key areas of development for Oschadbank’s MSME business division. The bank is consistently expanding its partnership programs with international financial institutions and introducing financial instruments that help Ukrainian entrepreneurs invest in projects related to energy efficiency, decarbonization, and the adoption of climate-resilient technologies.
Program Participation Requirements
The program launches on July 22, 2026. Until then, potential participants can review the program’s terms and prepare the necessary documents.
Program participants will be eligible to receive:
– a grant of up to 10,000 euros;
– a grant covering up to 20% of the outstanding principal balance of the loan;
– financing for investment projects, including through the government’s “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” program, with a term of up to 5 years;
– the opportunity to submit an application within 30 calendar days after the program’s launch.
Detailed program terms are available at: https://bdf.gov.ua/programs/zelene-fermerstvo-v-haluzi-sadivnytstva/.
The “Green Farming in Horticulture” program is being implemented as part of the “Preparing Eastern Partnership Countries for the European Green Deal (PROGRESS)” project, which is being carried out on behalf of the German Federal Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). It combines grant support and preferential bank loans to introduce climate-resilient technologies in horticulture.
agricultural sector, FARMING, GRANT, HORTICULTURE, OSCHADBANK
The Cabinet of Ministers has amended the procedure for providing grants for the establishment of horticulture, berry and viticulture, as well as the development of greenhouse farming, which are aimed at the recovery of the grape and wine industry, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported.
“Viticulture is a key industry that is now in stagnation. Therefore, realizing these conditions, we have updated the grant procedure. The changes will help winemakers integrate into the grape vertical. They will be able to use the grants to plant their own vineyards. We have also eliminated the mandatory requirement to install irrigation systems and water intake for grapes,” – commented on the Government Resolution No. 871 adopted by the Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi.
According to his information, the order of granting grants for the establishment of horticulture, berry growing and viticulture presents an expanded list of regions for growing stone fruit species. The total area for planting peach, apricot, sea buckthorn, raspberry, currant, gooseberry, blackberry, currant has been increased at the expense of reducing the total area of planting under pigeonpea and blueberry. The document also clarifies the period during which a garden grant recipient is required to create an appropriate number of seasonal jobs. In addition, the requirement to install an irrigation system and water intake for grapes has been eliminated.
The decree expands the range of potential recipients of grants for orchards and greenhouses. They can be agrarians who are located and carry out economic activities in the territories of active hostilities, where the state electronic information resources are functioning, produce (without adding alcohol) and / or sale of wine grapes, fruit and berry, honey drinks.
The decree shall come into force from the date of its publication.
berry growing, CABINET OF MINISTERS, GRANTS, HORTICULTURE, VITICULTURE
Financial assistance in the amount of UAH 100.858 million will be provided to 25 agricultural enterprises in Kyiv region as part of the government’s e-Work program to support small and medium-sized businesses, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Denys Bashlyk said on Facebook.
According to him, the funds will be used to develop horticulture, berry growing, viticulture, and greenhouse farming. Thus, farmers will receive grants worth UAH 80.858 million for the development of horticulture and UAH 20 million for greenhouses. So far, UAH 74.401 million has been paid to them.
In addition, since the beginning of the year, 902 farmers in the Kyiv region have received UAH 10.402 billion in bank loans for farm development, the deputy minister stated.
As reported, since the beginning of the year, 12.3 thousand agricultural enterprises have received UAH 65.2 billion in bank loans for development. Of these, 9.6 thousand agricultural enterprises received UAH 37.5 billion in loans under the state program “Affordable Loans 5-7-9”.
The Cabinet of Ministers has amended the procedure for granting grants for the creation and development of horticulture, berry growing, viticulture, and greenhouse development.
According to Taras Melnychuk, a representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada, on Telegram, the decision was made at a government meeting on Friday.
According to the report, the changes improve the mechanisms for supporting business entities operating in the relevant industries.
It is expected that the grant recipient will create jobs and employ full-time employees and pay them the mandatory minimum wage for such specialists.
In addition, the list of conditions for canceling decisions of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy has been expanded, in particular, in case the recipient unilaterally closes its bank account and in case of violation in the transfer of its entire share of co-financing within 30 days after the conclusion of the agreement.
The Cabinet of Ministers has clarified the number of employees required to provide grants for the establishment or development of greenhouse facilities and shortened the list of regions for almond planting.
