Farm union chief warns fast EU alignment could cost sector billions
Ukrainian farmers say they can wait for EU agricultural subsidies after accession, provided they are given more time to comply with the bloc’s farming rules.
Speaking to Euractiv during a visit to Brussels this week, Andrii Dykun, chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC), warned that many farmers would struggle if compliance with EU rules on pesticides and other production standards became mandatory within the next few years.
The UAC primarily represents medium-sized farms, which it defines as ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 hectares. By comparison, the average farm size in the EU is 17.8 hectares, and only 7.5% of farms are larger than 50 hectares.
According to the organisation, medium-sized farms form the backbone of Ukraine’s agricultural sector, accounting for roughly 60% of agricultural land and specialising mainly in grain, dairy and pig production.
