Crimea's Record Grain Harvest Becomes Unsustainable Burden on Farmers
Crimean farmers are reeling from a record-breaking grain harvest that's left them struggling to find buyers. Despite producing an impressive 1.5 million metric tons of grain, they're facing logistical and economic challenges that are making it difficult to sell their crops.
According to local farmers, shipping grain through the Black Sea and Azov ports has become almost impossible due to high transportation costs. Transporting it to the Baltic Sea is also economically unfeasible and dangerous. As a result, many expect a significant portion of the harvest will remain in Crimea.
A female farmer from the Simferopol district shared her struggles, saying she's being offered only 7.5 cents per kilogram, while her production cost for a metric ton of wheat is around $175. Another farmer from the Dzhankoy district decided not to harvest his barley at all due to the high cost of fuel.
The occupying authorities acknowledge the problem, but so far have offered little assistance to farmers. The 'Minister of Agriculture' of Crimea, Denis Kratyuk, stated that the grain surplus exceeds what the peninsula can consume, but didn't promise any specific support to farmers.