Like most farmers, Nick Gordichuk is dealing with crop input shortages and tight margins this spring. However, he’s doing it in a war zone. Gordichuk farms less than 100 miles north of Kiev, where he raises winter wheat, corn and potatoes. In an interview with the Iowa Agribusiness Network, Gordiihuk said the Ukrainian government is trying to help, but access to the credit necessary to plant a crop is limited. The Russian military is also targeting ag businesses, grain storage and farm machinery. “Some farmers still have wheat from last season and they still have maize from last season which they stored hoping they could sell it more expensive after the season. What happens now when they have no access to the Black Sea with Russia bombing ships and cutting us from main ports in the south?” Gordichuk said Ukrainian farmers are facing major uncertainties for this growing season. “Nevertheless, I think it’s just like it is in America. It’s in our blood. When the sun is shining and the soil is the right temperature, we go and try to do something. For example, we could hear shelling while we were putting ammonia sulfate over winter wheat a week ago.”
News Categories
Latest RRFN Podcasts
Subscribe to RRFN
Get a weekly digest from RRFN to stay up-to-date on all the latest news in agriculture.