Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast sees lowest harvest since 2003

This year, grain yields on the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast have dropped to their lowest level since 2003.

Source: Akzent.zp.ua, a local media outlet in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Quote from Akzent.zp.ua: "The situation with sunflowers is particularly striking: while previously the average yield was 1.5-1.7 tonnes per hectare, now it has plummeted to a meagre 0.1-0.5 tonnes per hectare."

Details: Several factors have contributed to this outcome, according to the National Resistance Center of Ukraine. One is the forced sale of products at below-market prices, the Center said, adding that the Russians are forcing farmers to sell their products far below market value.

Another factor is subsidies for loyalty: the occupation authorities provide subsidies only to farmers who agree to cooperate with them.

The Center also cites the lack of access to modern agricultural technologies. Due to the Russian occupation, farmers are deprived of innovations that could boost yields.

"This situation has serious consequences not only for farmers but also for the region’s food security," Akzent.zp.ua says.

Background:

• Russia has turned stolen Ukrainian grain into a global business, as 70 countries, particularly Egypt, Türkiye and Iran, are now purchasing it. Around 2.5 million tonnes of the new wheat harvest have been taken from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts to Russia.
• Russia resumed grain supplies to Syria, including stolen Ukrainian grain. Russia had been Syria’s main grain supplier before the fall of the Assad regime but largely suspended supplies in December 2024 due to payment delays and uncertainty over the new government.
• The Kremlin is planning to increase the share of stolen grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine in Russia’s total harvest, as this year Russia itself will collect only a limited harvest due to drought, sanctions and limited access to machinery, while grain sales in June already dropped by 34.5%.
• Meanwhile, farmers in southern Russia, responsible for much of the country’s winter grain harvest, are facing drought for the second year running, while the cost of seeds, fuel and fertilisers has risen by 15-20%.

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