A state program to support cotton cultivation is being launched in Ukraine. Starting June 10, agricultural producers and individual entrepreneurs in the Odessa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions will be able to apply for non-repayable financial assistance.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the subsidy amounts to up to UAH 10,000 per hectare of cotton crops for the current harvest year.
The support is available to legal entities and sole proprietors engaged in agricultural activity in the specified southern regions. To participate, applicants must provide confirmation of cotton sowing and a certificate of no tax debt.
The launch of industrial cotton cultivation in Ukraine has two key reasons: military security and climate change.
Defense potential: cotton is a basic raw material for the production of nitrocellulose, which is used in the manufacture of gunpowder.
Climate challenges: due to the destruction of irrigation systems and rapid warming, traditional agriculture in the south requires alternatives. Thanks to its deep root system, cotton is extremely drought-resistant. It can produce stable yields even on degraded soils and requires very little water.
“Industrial cotton cultivation is a strategic direction for the agricultural sector and is important for Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex. Creating a domestic raw material base for nitrocellulose production will help reduce dependence on imports and also provide new opportunities for the development of agriculture in the southern regions of the country,” said Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Taras Vysotskyi.
In addition, the crop is considered promising for southern Ukraine due to climate change and the limited feasibility of traditional irrigation. Cotton is drought-resistant, can produce stable yields even on degraded soils, and requires minimal water.
