Ukraine’s agrarian map is rapidly transforming, with western regions increasingly asserting themselves as new centers of technological gravity. In just a few weeks, the village of Kholodnovidka in Lviv Oblast will host a significant event – Agro Lvіv Field Day 2026, which will take place in this region for the first time on June 24-25.
Proximity to the European border and the specific local terrain have shaped a unique agricultural model in Lviv Oblast for Ukraine. Here, they have learned to generate income not from the quantity of raw materials, but from their quality and deep processing. The region is largely free from the dominance of classic giant latifundia; instead, around 1.4 thousand enterprises operate, where large companies share the market with agile family farms.
For such a dynamic region, the introduction of its own Field Day by Agro Team Expo is not just another machinery exhibition. It is the launch of a local business platform where farmers will not be offered abstract “giant machines” for the steppe. In Kholodnovidka, the focus will be on smart, maneuverable machinery, precision farming technologies for small field contours, intensive horticulture, and tools that enable process automation amidst a labor shortage.
The main value of this year’s premiere in Kholodnovidka is localization. In the midst of the season, producers do not need to waste time on distant logistics: all advanced solutions – from energy-efficient machinery in action to innovations in precision farming and flexible financial programs – will be gathered in one place. This is a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the tools capable of optimizing costs and increasing the profitability of every specific hectare.
How does Lviv Oblast manage to retain one-fifth of its GDP thanks to the agricultural sector, why do relocated businesses choose this particular region, and what financial instruments is the region preparing to support small producers and veterans?
Yuriy Buchko, Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration
On the eve of the Field Day, we had the opportunity to speak with Yuriy Buchko, Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration.
Agro Team Expo: What does the agrarian Lviv Oblast represent today, and how has it changed over the four years of full-scale invasion?
— The foundation of agricultural production in Lviv Oblast consists of approximately 1.4 thousand agricultural formations of various ownership forms and scales – from family farms to large agricultural enterprises. They are involved in growing grains and technical crops, vegetable farming, fruit growing, and animal husbandry.
Before the war, the number of such agribusinesses was about 1.2 thousand enterprises.
The positive trend indicates that, despite the challenging wartime conditions, agricultural formations continue to operate and gradually develop, and entrepreneurial activity in the agricultural sector is sustained.
The export of agricultural products from Lviv Oblast remains robust under wartime conditions. The share of the agro-industrial complex in the total export structure of the region is 36.6% and continues to be one of the key drivers of foreign trade. The export base is formed by fats and oils, grain crops, sugar and confectionery products, fruits and vegetables, and meat.
In addition to the raw material component, over four hundred food industry enterprises operate in the region’s agro-industrial complex. Lviv Oblast has long and consistently developed deep processing and the production of products with high added value. Today, meat processing, milk processing, baking, and flour-milling operations function within the region, providing the population with basic food products.
Concurrently, the production of beverages, confectionery, canned goods, oils, and fats is actively developing.
To summarize: despite the war and logistical challenges, Lviv Oblast’s agricultural business demonstrates adaptability, gradually transitioning from a raw material model to products with greater added value, which forms the basis for further growth and strengthening of positions in foreign markets.
Agro Team Expo: If we summarize, is agrarian Lviv Oblast more of an agroholding or a farming enterprise?
— It is a unique, market-healthy combination of large-scale production and the significant role of small farms. Approximately 62% of agricultural products are produced by agricultural enterprises and farms, while 38% comes from household plots. The former specialize in the production of grain crops, sugar beets, rapeseed, sunflower, soybeans, and meat, targeting both domestic and export markets. The latter play a key role in the production of labor-intensive products: they account for about 90% of potato, vegetable, fruit, and berry, milk, and egg production. Furthermore, the individual sector accounts for about 80% of the cattle population, making them strategically important for the development of animal husbandry.
The agrarian model of Lviv Oblast represents a balance where large enterprises ensure volume and efficiency, while small farms provide food diversity and stability.
Agro Team Expo: What share does the agro-industrial complex account for in the region’s economic structure?
— The agro-industrial complex of Lviv Oblast forms about 20% of the region’s GDP and also accounts for over 4.3% of Ukraine’s gross agricultural output.
Agro Team Expo: What land resources support this figure?
— The area of agricultural land in Lviv Oblast is 1240 thousand hectares, or 56.7% of the total area of the region. The sown area of agricultural crops exceeds 770 thousand hectares and grows annually due to the additional involvement of arable land in agricultural circulation. This is facilitated by both the transfer of lands for lease from land share owners and the auctioning of rights to lease agricultural lands of communal ownership, which allows for more efficient use of available land resources.
Agro Team Expo: Does the scale of agricultural production correlate with local budget revenues?
— Yes, and this figure is steadily increasing. Against the backdrop of current economic and security challenges in the country, the importance of such dynamics is difficult to overestimate.
In 2025, farmers in the region paid UAH 2.9 billion in taxes and fees, which is almost UAH 0.6 billion more compared to 2024, or 25%.
Local budget revenues increased due to a 27% increase in personal income tax (PIT) collection in 2025 (UAH 1.3 billion paid). The share of PIT in the total structure of paid taxes is 45%.
Agro Team Expo: If we characterize the region’s agriculture as an employer, what is it like?
— Exceptional. Out of Lviv Oblast’s 2.5 million population, 961.8 thousand people, or 39%, are rural residents, which accounts for a significant number of personal farms. Among these, many effectively engage in production, cultivating from 2 to 10, and sometimes up to 50 hectares of land. The number of self-employed individuals in agriculture is 175.3 thousand people, or about 17% of the total employed population in the region.
Additionally, about 8 thousand hired workers are employed in the sector. The produce is used not only for personal consumption but is also actively sold in the market.
We aim to support such farms and encourage their gradual transition to more organized forms of activity, particularly the establishment of family farms. This process is already showing positive results: as of today, 158 family farms are registered in the region, which is perhaps the highest indicator among Ukraine’s regions.
Agro Team Expo: Lviv Oblast has repeatedly been targeted by the enemy, yet it is perceived as a safe haven for both citizens and businesses. How many agro-industrial enterprises have been relocated to the region since February 2022?
— Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, over 10 agricultural and related processing enterprises from other regions have been relocated to Lviv Oblast.
Importantly, some of them have not only relocated their activities but have also established new production facilities in the region, such as LLC “Lviv Bakery Complex,” or acquired existing farms, like FG “VREMYA” from Donetsk Oblast, which purchased FG “Merinos-Zahid.”
Among the relocated enterprises are producers of crop and livestock products, as well as processing companies manufacturing snacks, jerky, herbal teas, cocoa, confectionery, and bread.
Relocating agricultural enterprises is significantly more complex than relocating processing ones, as it requires forming a new land bank, obtaining land rights, and consolidating plots into a whole mass. This demands considerable time and financial resources and does not always allow for the restoration of the previous level of efficiency due to differences in soil conditions, infrastructure, logistics, and staffing.
At the same time, examples of successful adaptation, such as “SNEK TREYD YUEY,” relocated from Kyiv Oblast to Lviv Oblast in 2022, demonstrate the ability of enterprises to quickly recover and even increase production, enter new sales markets, and strengthen export positions.
Agro Team Expo: In recent years, the amount of funds allocated from the regional budget to support the agricultural sector of the economy is perhaps the largest among other regions of Ukraine. Why was support for the agro-industrial complex identified as a priority?
— Local authorities and regional council deputies fully understand the significant role of agriculture, which constitutes a substantial portion of the region’s gross domestic product.
For 2026, UAH 22 million has been allocated from the regional budget to support farmers. Primarily, funds are directed towards supporting agricultural producers engaged in cattle farming.
In 2026, the support program for partial subsidization of financial leasing for the renewal of agricultural machinery and equipment will also continue.
A separate emphasis is placed on supporting war veterans – for them, compensation for the cost of acquiring fixed production assets is provided. Additionally, in 2026, a new financial support program is being introduced in the region for business entities that grow vegetable crops (excluding potatoes), melons, and legumes (excluding soybeans). Support will be provided in the form of a subsidy per hectare of cultivated land.
The main focus of the regional program is on supporting micro, small, and medium-sized business entities engaged in agricultural production.
However, it must be stated that the agricultural business is exceptionally active and does not rely solely on state support. In the first 9 months of 2025 alone, farmers in the region attracted UAH 2.3 billion in domestic capital investments. In 2026, 21 more investment projects in the agricultural sector are being implemented in the region.
Agro Team Expo: Can the Field Day, supported by the Lviv Regional Administration, be interpreted as a component of the region’s agricultural investment development?
— Absolutely. We proceed from the understanding that the times of planned economy are long past, and industry professionals themselves best understand their priorities and needs. The state supports initiatives aimed at increasing production efficiency and profitability and welcomes general industry events that promote innovation and knowledge exchange. It is excellent that Lviv Oblast will become a platform for such Expos, and agricultural producers will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the latest solutions and technologies without leaving the region.
Agro Team Expo: What effect do you expect from the Agro Lvіv Field Day 2026 for the region’s agricultural sector?
— I am confident that every farmer-visitor will take something useful from this event, according to their needs. For our part, we support and encourage any business activity in the agricultural sector aimed at increasing the sector’s capacity, creating more jobs, and ultimately strengthening the Ukrainian state.
For reference. The conversation with Yuriy Buchko, Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, clearly demonstrates: the region’s agricultural sector is confidently breaking old stereotypes. Today, farmers are required to be not just raw material producers but flexible businessmen who calculate logistics to the European border, invest in deep processing, and work efficiently on every hectare.
The holding of the debut Agro Lvіv Field Day 2026 in the village of Kholodnovidka is a logical response to market demand. Agro Team Expo creates not just an exhibition ground but a unique ecosystem where small family farms, relocated enterprises, and large agricultural companies can find tailored solutions for their needs.
The establishment of such a tradition precisely in Lviv Oblast is an investment in the financial stability of the entire region, which generates one-fifth of its GDP through work on the land. Two days of intensive networking and demonstrations lie ahead – it’s time to put new technologies into action!
See you in the field!
