Prometey, one of the largest agricultural holdings in southern Ukraine, recently announced the closure of some of its silos. grains and staff cuts due to economic difficulties resulting from the Russian invasion and unfavorable weather, which consequently caused a significant drop in the harvest.
Furthermore, in a statement released on Monday (16), Elena Zinovieva, head of Prometey's business development department, stated: “For the third year in a row, the war has also hit the Prometey group of companies.”
The company, which managed to keep more than 1,200 employees employed during the conflict, is now forced to reduce its workforce. In addition, the company will keep three of its 28 grain silos closed. During the war, Prometey lost seven silos and around 2,000 hectares of land came under Russian occupation.
Prometey farms more than 20,000 hectares of land, mainly in southern Ukraine, where heatwaves and a record drought have hit the regions hard this summer. The company reported that crop failures were significant, directly impacting production.
Severe climate impact
Initially optimistic about the 2024 harvest, Prometey was surprised by the exceptionally hot summer. According to the company, this was the hottest summer in the last 100 years in Ukraine, severely affecting agricultural productivity.
Prometey highlighted that essential crops such as soybeans, lentils and sunflowers, which occupy around 7,000 hectares of its land, suffered significant impacts due to the dry weather, resulting in a harvest much lower than expected.
Despite the difficulties, the company reaffirms its commitment to Ukrainian agriculture. “Despite the difficult conditions, Prometey continues to fight for its survival. However, if the situation does not improve soon, more drastic decisions may be needed to save the business,” the company concluded.
Source: Pavel Polityuk | Notícias Agrícolas
