Crop production remains one of the main agricultural sectors in Lviv region.
In 2023, the volume of crop production in Lviv region increased by 2.1 times compared to 2015 and amounted to UAH 35.4 billion (in constant prices of 2021). This growth was due to an increase in sown areas and higher crop yields.
Agricultural enterprises are the main producers of grain, sugar beet, sunflower, soybean, and rapeseed, while peasant households are the main producers of potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. In 2023, all categories of farms produced 1.8 million tons of grain, 1.8 million tons of potatoes, 1 million tons of sugar beets, 859 thousand tons of vegetables, and 146.5 thousand tons of fruits and berries.
Wheat, barley, soybeans, and rapeseed dominate the overall structure of production of grains and legumes and industrial crops. Plantings of industrial crops, such as sunflower and soybeans, significantly exceed the recommended norms, which is explained by the changing external market conditions. In particular, sunflower and soybean plantings increased by 3 and 3.4 times, respectively, compared to 2015.
“Most enterprises in the region are engaged in the production of grain and industrial crops, which is growing mainly due to the growing demand for raw materials in foreign markets. The production of vegetables and fruit and berry crops is mainly provided by households. In particular, the share of the commercial sector in vegetable production is about 5% of total production. Agricultural enterprises mainly grow salad and green vegetables. Currently, climate change and the availability of grant programs for the implementation of processing have opened up additional opportunities for growing open and closed ground vegetable crops to replace imports and create added value in production processes,” said Liudmyla Honcharenko, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Development.
Traditionally, potatoes and vegetables have an important place in the structure of crop production, accounting for 32% of the total. Lviv region is one of the three leaders in Ukraine in terms of potato and vegetable production. More than 30 types of vegetable crops are grown in the region, including cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, beets and carrots.
Peasant farms remain the main producers of fruits and berries, accounting for over 80% of fruit and berry production. In the commercial segment, about 160 business entities are engaged in fruit and berry production, growing perennial plantations on an area of 2 thousand hectares. The structure of plantations is dominated by pome and stone fruit crops, which occupy 90% of the area, berry crops account for 5%, and the rest is occupied by nut orchards and vineyards.