Official: Fuel and fertiliser price increases do not threaten Ukraine’s spring crop sowing

The deputy minister of Ukraine's economy said that a sharp rise in fuel prices and fertilizer due to the Iran War is not expected to disrupt Ukraine's spring planting of?grains? and other crops.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest producers of grains and oilseeds, generating $22 billion in revenue from exports in 2025. However, its crop yields are heavily dependent on fertiliser usage.

Taras Vysotskiy, a minister in the ministry of agriculture, said that "the key challenge is the significant increase in fuel prices as well as the 30-35% rise in fertilisers due to global market factors."

He added that the additional cost to farmers does not compromise the campaign.

High Prices

Fuel and fertiliser prices have risen sharply due to the war in Iran.

Ukraine doesn't buy fuel or fertilizer directly from Gulf states. However, the war has pushed up prices around the world, including for producers in the Mediterranean region and Black Sea, Ukraine's major suppliers.

Kostyantyn Kinzhalov, a Kyiv-based analyst from Barva Invest, said at an online traders' gathering that the domestic price of urea, a fertiliser widely used during sowing, had risen by 65% since the beginning of the year, and by 43% since February.

According to Enkorr, the Middle East conflict has caused wholesale diesel fuel prices to jump by more than 50% in a little over a month.

Only the beginning of sowing

Vysotskiy stated that only the first 200,000 acres of spring crops have been planted so far. The total area for sowing could be as high as 16 million acres.

The Ministry said earlier this month that the?area might include 5?million acres of sunflowers, 6 million acres of grains, 2 millions hectares soy, and some other acreage.

Weather forecasters and analysts?said this year that extreme cold may have damaged up to 10% of winter grains and oilseeds, which will require replanting in the spring.

Vysotskiy said, however, that "as at today, we are not seeing any?force majeure 'factors that could affect the pace of work in a significant way."

Vysotskiy said on Thursday that the sharp increase in fertilizer prices is unlikely to cause Ukraine to make major changes to its crop planting plans this year but may force farmers to reduce their use of fertiliser-intensive corn by 2027. (Reporting and editing by Susan Fenton; Reporting by Pavel Polityuk)

(source: Reuters)