The USAID program for agricultural and rural development ("USAID Agro") supported 1,200 Ukrainian agricultural producers in 2024, enabling them to secure over 1.14 billion UAH through various financial instruments, the program's press service reported on Facebook.
"With the onset of the full-scale invasion, it became clear that agricultural producers needed financial products from the non-banking sector more than ever: commodity lending, leasing (including sale-leaseback and factoring), and agri-installment plans," the statement noted.
In "USAID Agro," it was reported that farmers received over 1 billion UAH in commodity loans in 2024 for purchasing seeds, fertilizers, and plant protection products with deferred payment until harvest from seven partner organizations: LLC "Adama Ukraine," LLC "Ukravit," LLC "Zapad Agrobusiness," LLC "Makosh," LLC "Agroresurs," LLC "Khimagro," and LLC "Agro Arena." Producers could repay the loan either in cash or in grain, and in most cases, "hard collateral" was not required.
Additionally, in 2024, agricultural producers received financing of 44 million UAH through the WEAGRO agri-installment program, a specialized online service from the financial company Activitis. Farmers received a decision on the installment plan within 30 minutes without direct interaction with the financial company, and payment under the contract was made within two hours.
Furthermore, USAID Agro supported the platform "Digital Leasing in Three Clicks in Three Days" from the company "ESKA Capital," which financed agricultural producers for nearly 100 million UAH as part of a joint project.
"The uniqueness of this initiative lies in leasing equipment for up to 15 years, sale-leaseback options, and financing for farmers located near combat zones; as well as the absence of bureaucratic obstacles and the ability to formalize contracts online," the program reminded.
In "USAID Agro," it was promised that these projects would continue to receive support in 2025, along with the launch of two additional initiatives. These include the development of a secondary market for commodity loans and financing for agricultural producers through agrarian notes.