Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

“TAS Agro” has started spring sowing campaign and is focusing on sunflower

TAS Agro’s southern cluster (Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia and Mykolaiv regions) has started the spring sowing campaign, with a focus on sunflower, which will be planted on 2764 hectares, the company’s press service reported on Facebook.

“The production units are fully provided with seeds, fertilizers, plant protection products, and fuel and lubricants. Modern technological complexes are used in sowing, which increase the accuracy of sowing and increase productivity,” said Andriy Zvarych, director of TAS Agro South LLC.

Meanwhile, preparations for the sowing season are underway in the central, northern and western clusters of TAS Agro. In particular, TAS Agro’s northern cluster in Chernihiv region is currently preparing machinery for the upcoming spring field work. TAS Agro West is completing the pre-sowing soil preparation stage, which involves closing off moisture on an area of 13.5 thousand hectares.

In addition, TAS Agro Center continues to provide comprehensive crop care and conducts regular fertilization of winter wheat using UAN-32 mixed with ammonium thiosulfate.

TAS Agro was established in 2014. Its land bank includes 88 thousand hectares in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad and Mykolaiv regions. The holding specializes in crop production, with elevators with a capacity of about 250 thousand tons. The livestock business is represented by a cattle herd of 5.5 thousand heads, of which 2.5 thousand heads are dairy cattle.

According to the Opendatabot resource, the company’s revenue in 2023 amounted to UAH 2.588 billion, net profit – UAH 155.842 million, debt – UAH 1.2 billion, assets were estimated at UAH 1.8653 billion, and the number of employees – 129. The authorized capital is UAH 8 thousand.

The agricultural holding is part of the TAS group, founded in 1998. Its business interests include the financial sector (banking and insurance segments) and pharmacy, as well as industry, real estate, and venture capital projects.

The founder of TAS and the beneficiary of the TAS Agro agricultural holding is Sergiy Tigipko.

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Sowing season 2025: 83 thousand hectares sown with spring crops in Ukraine

As of March 13, Ukraine sowed 83 thousand hectares of spring grains and legumes in 15 regions, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported.

According to the report, a week ago, the work was carried out in two southern regions – Mykolaiv and Odesa. Now they have been joined by 13 more regions.

Currently, barley has been sown on 45.2 thousand hectares, peas – on 17.8 thousand hectares, spring wheat – on 12.9 thousand hectares, oats – on 7.2 thousand hectares.

Ternopil – 15.2 thousand hectares, Volyn – 11 thousand hectares, Rivne – 10.84 thousand hectares, Vinnytsia – 10.1 thousand hectares and Mykolaiv – 10 thousand hectares are the leaders in sowing spring crops.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy reminded that in 2025 Ukraine plans to plant more than 5.7 mln ha of spring grains and legumes, which corresponds to the level of 2024. The new season is characterized by the increase in the area under spring wheat by 28% (to 222.8 thou hectares), which is due to the growing demand from processors and exporters.

As reported, in 2024 the sowing campaign started on February 29. As of March 14, the sowing campaign was conducted in 14 regions of Ukraine, where 128.1 thou hectares of grains and pulses were planted, including 12.9 thou hectares of wheat, 69.6 thou hectares of barley, 41.5 thou hectares of peas and 3.7 thou hectares of oats.

“Nibulon” completes sowing of winter crops on 16.1 thou hectares

Nibulon JV LLC, one of the largest grain market operators in Ukraine, has completed the sowing campaign of winter crops on 16.1 thou hectares, the grain trader’s press service reported on its Facebook page.
According to the report, Nibulon planted 8.6 thou hectares of winter wheat and 7.5 thou hectares of winter rapeseed. These crops are mainly concentrated in Mykolaiv region. According to the development strategy for the agricultural sector in 2024, the area under rapeseed has almost tripled, while winter wheat has decreased by 20% compared to the previous year.
The expansion of rapeseed acreage is due to the high profitability of this crop, which makes it economically attractive even in a changing climate, the agricultural holding explained.
Nibulon noted that in the 2024 season, the agricultural division of the agricultural holding had to take into account unfavorable weather conditions and adjust its work: for the second year in a row, sowing was carried out in dry soil, and the seeds were “preserved” in anticipation of favorable weather.
“In such circumstances, there are risks of provocative precipitation that causes seed germination but is insufficient for plant development and can lead to its death. Thus, we lost and had to reseed part of the rapeseed. But despite these circumstances, the vast majority of seedlings survived, developed and are going into winter in a satisfactory and good condition,” said Oleg Veselov, Director of Agricultural Production at the agricultural holding.
According to him, the situation was resolved by the company’s water-saving tillage technologies, which improved the quality and economy of crops even in conditions of drought and limited access to moisture.
Nibulon JV LLC was established in 1991. Prior to the Russian military invasion, the grain trader had 27 transshipment terminals and crop reception complexes, capacity for simultaneous storage of 2.25 million tons of agricultural products, a fleet of 83 vessels (including 23 tugs), and owned the Mykolaiv Shipyard.
“Before the war, Nibulon cultivated 82 thousand hectares of land in 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to more than 70 countries. In 2021, the grain trader exported the highest ever volume of 5.64 million tons of agricultural products, reaching record volumes of supplies to foreign markets in August – 0.7 million tons, in the fourth quarter – 1.88 million tons, and in the second half of the year – 3.71 million tons.
Nibulon’s losses due to Russia’s full-scale military invasion in 2022 exceeded $416 million.
Currently, the grain trader is operating at 32% of capacity, has created a special unit to clear agricultural land of mines, and was forced to move its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv.

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Continental Farmers Group has completed sowing of winter crops on 85 thou hectares

The agricultural holding Continental Farmers Group has completed sowing winter crops for the 2025 harvest on 85.2 thou hectares, of which 33.1 thou hectares are allocated for winter rape, 12.5 thou hectares for barley, and 39.6 thou hectares for wheat, the press service of the agricultural holding reports.
Continental said that despite the dry conditions at the start of the sowing season, due to timely agrotechnical measures and subsequent rains, it managed to get good quality winter rape seedlings on all sown areas. We are currently caring for the crop and preparing it for wintering.
“As for winter wheat, the sowing dates were slightly delayed due to prolonged periods of precipitation in the first ten days of October. However, this did not prevent us from sowing all the planned areas and successfully moving on to crop protection measures. Given the conditions of the region where we operate, the optimal circumstances for germination, we estimate the completion date as satisfactory and close to the long-term average,” said Konstantin Shityuk, Chief Operating Officer of the agricultural holding.
In addition, the second wave of harvesting is coming to an end on Continental’s fields. Sunflower, soybeans, seed and food potatoes have been fully harvested among the late crops. Corn threshing, digging of chip potatoes and harvesting of sugar beets are nearing completion.
Mriya Agro Holding and CFG, united under the name Continental Farmers Group, have been operating as a single business since November 2018, when Mriya entered into an agreement with international investor Salic UK to sell its assets.
Salic was founded in 2012. Its sole shareholder is the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which invests in agricultural and livestock production.

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“Agrotrade” has started sowing winter crops for 2025 harvest

Agrotrade has started sowing winter crops for the 2025 harvest on 27.9 thousand hectares, the company’s press service reports on its Facebook page.
According to the report, the sowing campaign started with winter rapeseed, for which almost 12.5 thou hectares have been allocated in Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Poltava regions, which is 1.3 thou hectares more than last season.
“The change in the area under winter rapeseed is primarily due to crop rotation requirements. This year, we started the sowing campaign simultaneously in Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions. The work has already gained momentum and will last a total of two weeks. They were preceded by high-quality preparation, such as peeling, plowing, leveling and fertilizing,” said Oleksandr Ovsyanyk, Director of Agrotrade’s Agricultural Department.
Currently, more than 24% of the planned area has been sown with the crop, and 15 units of machinery are involved.
“We will soon start sowing winter wheat, for which Agrotrade has allocated 15.4 thousand hectares,” the agricultural holding summarized.
The Agrotrade Group is a vertically integrated holding company with a full agro-industrial cycle (production, processing, storage and trade of agricultural products). It cultivates over 70 thousand hectares of land in Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions. Its main crops are sunflower, corn, winter wheat, soybeans and rapeseed. It has its own network of elevators with a simultaneous storage capacity of 570 thousand tons.
The group also produces hybrid seeds of corn and sunflower, barley, and winter wheat. In 2014, a seed plant with a capacity of 20 thousand tons of seeds per year was built on the basis of Kolos seed farm (Kharkiv region). In 2018, Agrotrade launched its own brand Agroseeds on the market.
Vsevolod Kozhemiako is the founder and CEO of Agrotrade.

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This year’s sowing season in Ukraine is ahead of previous one – Ministry

As of March 28, Ukraine sowed 476.7 thousand hectares with spring grains and pulses, up 8.3% year-on-year, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.

According to the report, the rate of sowing peas is 51.1% higher than last year as of the same date and amounts to 81.8 thousand hectares, barley – 35.6% higher and reached 291.5 thousand hectares, wheat is 27.8% higher – 68.3 thousand hectares, oats – 17.6% higher – 28.7 thousand hectares.

Agrarians of Odesa region are leading the way in spring sowing campaign. They have already sown 7 thou hectares of wheat, 41.5 thou hectares of barley, 28.4 thou hectares of peas and 1.5 thou hectares of oats.

In Mykolaiv region, 2.2 thou hectares of wheat, 33.4 thou hectares of barley, 17.6 thou hectares of peas and 0.5 thou hectares of oats were sown; in Khmelnytsky region – 7.2 thou hectares of wheat, 23.7 thou hectares of barley, 0.8 thou hectares of peas and 0.5 thou hectares of oats; in Poltava region – 6.4 thou hectares of wheat, 56.2 thou hectares of barley, 0.8 thou hectares of peas and 0.5 thou hectares of oats. hectares of wheat, 56.2 thousand hectares of barley, 0.8 thousand hectares of peas and 0.3 thousand hectares of oats; in Poltava – 6.4 thousand hectares of wheat, 56.2 thousand hectares of barley, 4.7 thousand hectares of peas and 2.3 thousand hectares of oats; in Ternopil – 14.4 thousand hectares of wheat, 56.2 thousand hectares of barley, 0.8 thousand hectares of peas and 0.3 thousand hectares of oats. hectares of wheat, 56.2 thou hectares of barley, 3.1 thou hectares of peas and 2.3 thou hectares of oats; in Vinnytsia region – 5.9 thou hectares of wheat, 27.1 thou hectares of barley and 2.3 thou hectares of peas.

Last week, Ukrainian farmers sowed grains and legumes on 262.2 thou hectares. Poltava region is in the lead, with 44.2 thou hectares planted.

Poltava region is also the leader in sugar beet sowing, with 10.2 thou hectares already planted. Sowing of this crop has also started in Vinnytsia, Volyn and Rivne regions.

Agrarians in Kyiv region have started sowing sunflower, and those in Vinnytsia region – soybeans.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy reported in the State Agrarian Register that 70% of respondents plan to increase soybean acreage by 21% on average compared to 2023, based on the results of a survey conducted by the State Agrarian Register on farmers’ preparations for the spring crops sowing campaign for the 2024 harvest.

The survey also showed that during the spring sowing campaign, Ukrainian farmers will prioritize pulses, which will increase by 11%, and spring barley – by 7%. The area under spring rapeseed is expected to increase by 24%, sugar beet by 17%, and corn by 9%. The area under sunflower may potentially decrease.

In general, in 2024, the area under spring crops may decrease by 0.5 million hectares or 3.7% compared to last season, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.