Ukraine’s seed sector faces disruption from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including energy shortages, mined farmland, logistics barriers, and labour gaps. Despite producers maintain output, invest in infrastructure, adapt operations. Farmers sustain planting levels, while exports to the EU recover. Regulatory alignment and industry partnerships are strengthening competitiveness, positioning Ukraine as a resilient and growing player in global seed markets.
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How companies are adapting to disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine while aligning with European standards and expanding their global role.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has placed the country’s seed sector under sustained strain, confronting it with a range of destabilizing challenges. These include an energy crisis caused by damage to infrastructure from ongoing attacks, disruptions to logistics due to port closures and restricted international routes, and labour shortages due to mobilization and migration.
Roughly 137,000 square kilometres of Ukraine’s territory remain mined, much of it agricultural land. For many farms, this makes it impossible to cultivate fields or plan production over the long term.
Despite these unprecedented difficulties, the country’s seed sector continues to operate, seeking out new pathways and opportunities.
Keeping Production Alive Under Pressure
Even amid the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukraine’s seed sector continues to operate without halting production. At the Association, we are seeing investment in local seed processing plants and upgrades to equipment, along with the expansion of product lines. The seeds are produced according to international standards and undergo full-cycle quality control. Behind it all is the tireless, dedicated work of seed sector professionals at every level, from top management to entry-level staff.
Having withstood several extremely difficult seasons, companies are now planning production with energy risks in mind and working to streamline their processes. Maintaining seed quality requires continuous processing and drying, which directly increases costs. At the same time, logistics expenses have risen, both domestically and for exports.
Most producers have already adapted their operations and learned to work under the new conditions. With ongoing blackouts, they are investing in autonomous energy solutions and shifting toward self-sufficiency in power supply. This inevitably increases operating costs, but companies understand that the coming periods will not be any easier.
A growing shortage of skilled personnel, driven by mobilization and migration, is adding to the pressure. The strain is most visible in production and technical roles, where demand for highly specialized experts is especially acute. Seed agronomists, process engineers, and breeders are among the hardest to find. The shortage is already slowing operations and driving up costs, prompting companies to invest more in workforce development to strengthen core teams, improving mentorship and the exchange of expertise.
Farmers Adapting to a New Reality
After four years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, farmers have adapted to working even in frontline areas and on mined fields.
The 2025 winter planting season was largely successful, with farmers managing to sow nearly all intended area on time. Still, approaches to crop mix for the 2026 harvest have shifted. Several factors are behind the change, including waning interest in soybeans due to a 10% export duty, low global prices, an oversupplied market, and the crop’s high sensitivity to drought.
Ukraine’s most popular winter grains — i.e. wheat, rapeseed, and barley — have generally come through the winter without significant losses, despite temperatures dropping to as low as -20°C. In most regions, losses are estimated at 3 to 5%, with potential reseeding not exceeding 10%.
Ukraine’s spring planting campaign for 2026 is now gaining momentum. Weather conditions have delayed the start compared with last year, though the setback is not considered critical. The fastest progress is being recorded in the southern regions, where conditions allowed fieldwork to begin earlier than elsewhere.
This year, total grain and oilseed area is projected at 16.6 million hectares, holding steady with 2025 levels. The largest areas will be allocated to wheat, corn, sunflower, soybeans, barley, and rapeseed.
Farmers are planting nearly all available land, and the crop mix remains largely unchanged from last year. This points to expectations of a stable domestic agricultural market.
Global fluctuations in fuel and fertilizer markets have so far had little impact on planting in Ukraine, as farmers typically purchase supplies in advance and begin the season with reserves of fuel and other materials sufficient for several weeks, and often months of work.
Exports Regaining Ground
The European market is highly competitive and complex, where new players can struggle if they lack experience. Any misstep can affect Ukraine’s reputation as a whole. For that reason, Ukrainian producers are proceeding cautiously, carefully studying the rules of the market and focusing on transparent practices.
Ukrainian seed continues to prove its competitiveness, season after season. Even during the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukrainian companies are signing new international contracts, upgrading facilities, and expanding production.
Corn seed exports to the EU are gradually bouncing back after the 2022–2024 slump. This recovery is driven by a mix of competitive pricing, consistent quality, and seed shortages in several EU countries. Ukraine is strengthening its position as a production hub thanks to its solid infrastructure: over the last 10 to 15 years, about 15 corn seed plants have been built or modernized. A favourable climate and pricing flexibility allow Ukrainian seed to compete effectively in the global market.
Non-GMO soybean seed also holds export potential in the EU, as production costs in Ukraine remain lower. For sunflower seed, alignment with EU standards is expected to support exports, though without driving a sharp increase.
The EU will remain the primary export destination, notably Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia, as well as France, Spain, and Türkiye.
The Road to EU Alignment
For more than a decade, Ukrainian companies focused on the European market have been aligning their cultivation practices, certification, and seed processing with EU requirements. That groundwork has helped pave the way for decisions at the EU level.
The first tangible outcome came in 2020, when the EU recognized the equivalence of Ukrainian cereal crops and corn. Following comprehensive assessment, ranging from field inspections to seed processing facilities, these seeds were granted access to the EU market without additional requirements.
The next step was to secure equivalence for oilseeds, soybeans and sugar beets. Bolstered by Ukraine’s established reputation, the process moved quickly, with the full-scale Russian invasion as the only major obstacle. In the summer of 2025, the EU officially granted market access for these crops as well.
Equivalence status is the result of sustained regulatory reform in the sector. By late 2024, Ukraine had introduced updated rules on seed lot traceability, labelling, and packaging, while also streamlining phytosanitary and quarantine procedures. Some processes are now being digitalized to reduce administrative barriers and facilitate exports.
Beginning in September 2026, Ukraine will implement updated requirements for the state oversight of GMOs. This legislation will define what constitutes a GMO and its sources, establish procedures for placing such products on the market, set out registration and permitting protocols, and regulate labelling, state control, and liability for non-compliance. For Ukraine, a major global agricultural exporter, this is a pivotal step toward meeting international standards and securing long-term integration into global agricultural supply chains.
Driving Integration: The Role of SAU and Euroseeds
The Seed Association of Ukraine (SAU) represents plant breeders, seed producers, and suppliers in dialogues with government agencies and European partners. It takes an active role in discussions on changes to market regulations, supports the alignment of Ukraine’s rules with EU standards, and stands behind companies that operate in line with transparent international practices.
The long-standing partnership between the SAU and Euroseeds focuses on achieving regulatory equivalence and implementing European frameworks for the protection of plant breeders’ rights.
Intellectual property in the seed sector affects both businesses and the market as a whole, making it an area that requires further strengthening, particularly in terms of practical enforcement. The SAU advocates for a balanced approach that ensures protection of breeders’ rights while not restricting farmers’ access to legal, high-quality seed.
It is also critical to maintain continuous monitoring of regulatory shifts currently under discussion within the EU, as clear roadmaps exist mainly for the implementation of previously adopted acts. Active engagement from the professional community therefore remains essential, since full integration into the EU market will require further alignment of quality standards and their practical implementation. In this context, Euroseeds’ support is particularly important.
Looking ahead: From Resilience to Growth
Recent years have shown that Ukrainian seed producers can navigate uncertainty and turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Their commitment to international standards, combined with an openness to change, has helped build trust with global partners. This is not a temporary adjustment; it is a strategic pivot.
Today, seed companies in Ukraine are not just enduring the enduring the ongoing Russian invasion. They are defining their long-term role in global food supply chains, building strategic partnerships, and adopting European regulatory frameworks.
Siuzana Grygorenko is executive director of the Seed Association of Ukraine.
Editor’s Note: Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Seed World Europe has documented the resilience of the country’s plant breeding and seed sector under wartime conditions. Our coverage highlights disruption, innovation, threats to food security, and Ukraine’s ongoing push to align with European standards and strengthen its place in Europe’s agricultural future.
Click here to explore more articles on Ukraine’s seed sector, highlighting resilience, innovation, and progress toward European integration.
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