Ukraine did not harvest enough rye for domestic needs: the impact of war and climate change

In the conditions of constant climatic changes and the ongoing war, the agricultural sector of Ukraine faces numerous challenges. One of these challenges is the harvesting of rye, which does not even meet the domestic needs of the country. According to Oleksandr Nechiporenko, deputy director of the Institute of Agrarian Economics, Rye, although it adapts to less favorable growing conditions, has a stable yield even at low humidity. However, this year's harvest turned out to be much lower than necessary.

Rye is a cold-resistant crop that grows well in a variety of soils, even those where other grains cannot survive. It perfectly adapts to light and medium loams, and also tolerates sandy and acidic soils. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, this culture was very popular in areas with difficult conditions for agriculture, in particular in Polissia, where more than 70% of all rye in Ukraine was traditionally grown.

Before the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022, the largest volumes of rye production were observed in Chernihiv, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions. Chernihiv region was in the lead with a share of 28.5% of the total collection. Zhytomyr region (12.2%) and Kyiv region (12%) were also significant producers. However, the war changed the structure of cultivated areas, and today the picture of production has changed.

In 2024, the Rivne Oblast took first place in terms of rye harvest, providing 17.2% of the total harvest. In second place is the Volyn region with a share of 15.9%. At the same time, the Chernihiv region, which was one of the main producers before the war, lost a significant part of its cultivated areas. Due to the threefold decrease in the area of ​​crops, the share of Chernihiv Oblast in the total harvest of rye is only 13.9%.

The total harvest of rye in Ukraine this year amounted to 221 thousand tons, which is more than 50 thousand tons less than what is needed to cover the country's internal needs. For comparison, in 2021, the gross harvest of rye amounted to 593 thousand tons. This shortage leads to the need to import rye and other grains to ensure food security.

The decrease in rye production is not only a consequence of military aggression, but also the impact of climate change, which is reflected in the agricultural sector. The government and farmers are already working on finding solutions for adaptation to new conditions, but the situation remains difficult, and Ukraine should take care of the preservation and development of agriculture, in particular in regions such as Polissia.