International reporting
In Ukraine, the work of the land upset by the war
Audio 02:26
A wheat warehouse belonging to Ivan Kilgan, village head of the regional agricultural association, in the western Ukrainian village of Luky, Friday, March 25, 2022. (Illustrative image) AP - Nariman El -Mofty
By: Marie Normand Follow |
Julien Boileau
3 mins
In Ukraine, since the beginning of the war, farmers are the only ones who can be exempted from joining the ranks of the army.
Farms have received exceptional authorization to retain labor for sowing.
Their work is essential to feed this country of some 45 million inhabitants in a few months.
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From our special envoys in the Vinnytsia region,
You have to pass some makeshift barriers.
Sandbags, piles of tires that slow down vehicles on these village roads.
In Vinnytsia, located in the center of the country, Oleksandr has already been driving his tractor for several hours.
The land must be prepared before maize can be sown at the end of the month.
He was not mobilized by the Ukrainian army.
"
They need men to fight and others to grow wheat, so that Ukraine has enough to eat... What has changed,
explains Oleksandr
, is that, for example, today today a military plane passed at very low altitude just above my tractor.
But hey, it's okay, we keep working.
Just in case, we can hide behind those trees over there
.”
Victor, the owner of these lands, also recounts the sound of missiles near his farm.
A few days earlier, one of them was intercepted by anti-aircraft defense and debris fell in its field.
“
Of course we're scared, we're normal people.
But what is certain is that if there is no bread tomorrow in Ukraine, it would be even worse.
It will be famine,
laments Victor
.
And here, we are less in danger than the kids who go to the front.
“Like his 33-year-old son who is currently training at a base in the region, before leaving to defend the east of the country.
Fear of surplus
The war complicated the supply of fertilizers and pesticides.
Victor had stocked enough for the season.
“
We prepared well, but the biggest problem is fuel.
We are missing between 10 or 15 tonnes of diesel for the season
.
»
Because until now Russia and Belarus were the main suppliers.
And since the end of February, many oil depots have been bombed.
Nevertheless, again this year, cereal production should be sufficient for domestic consumption.
It is the export of the surplus that poses a problem.
“
Our biggest concern is that we will be able to grow this maize, but that the ports remain blocked.
You can export to Europe by rail, but it's more expensive.
So we grow blind, without knowing if we will be able to sell all that.
Normally, Ukraine is the world's fourth largest corn exporter.
It was on its way to becoming the third largest wheat exporter behind Russia and the United States.
All of our daily, live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
© FMM Graphic Studio
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