Prices of Plant Protection Products Will Rise by 40%: Which Products Will Disappear by 2028
The Ukrainian agricultural sector is already experiencing significant changes in the field of plant protection products (PPP) due to the adaptation of legislation to European Union standards. By 2028, approximately a quarter of active substances will be banned in Ukraine, leading to a substantial increase in PPP costs of about 40%. Experts emphasize that agricultural producers who start preparing for the new requirements now will be able to avoid significant financial losses in the future.
This is reported by AgroReview
Changes in the Register of Active Substances: What Will Disappear from the Market
Currently, there are officially 251 active substances registered for use in agriculture in Ukraine. However, about 24% of them—approximately one in four—will be banned as part of the harmonization with European standards. A particularly significant blow to farmers will be the removal of 13 herbicidal substances from the market, which, according to estimates by UCA, could lead to annual crop losses of $6–8 billion. The most vulnerable crops are considered to be sunflower, sugar beet, potatoes, and corn.
The nearest prospects primarily concern insecticides, as the vast majority of insecticides permitted in Ukraine are already banned in the EU and will simultaneously be removed from circulation upon accession to the EU. Among herbicides, acetochlors—key soil herbicides for corn protection—will be subject to restrictions. Some fungicides are also at risk of being restricted.
The refusal of certain active substances in sunflower cultivation technology will automatically reduce the area under the crop by a third
This forecast was voiced by agricultural science candidate Mykola Kosolap, emphasizing that for a market where sunflowers occupy millions of hectares, this poses a real systemic risk.
How Farmers Are Preparing for New Realities
Large agricultural companies are already implementing new approaches to plant protection today. For example, “Epicenter Agro” is actively testing products permitted in EU countries, adapting protection technological maps, and implementing differentiated application systems—precise application of PPPs only where necessary. Such steps allow for a reduction in the overall use of chemical products and decrease dependence on specific active substances.
At the same time, biological solutions are gaining increasing importance: the use of microbiological products, biofungicides, and bioinsecticides permitted both in Ukraine and the EU. Although their effectiveness currently lags behind synthetic chemistry, scientific progress in this field is rapidly developing, and in certain segments, biopreparations are already demonstrating competitive results.
Recommendations for Farmers: What to Do Before the New Season
Experts advise farmers to take three key steps to prepare for the next season under the new restrictions:
- Assess each active substance in their technological map for compliance with the list of substances permitted in the EU. The current list is published on the website of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.
- For products that will be banned, find registered alternatives and consult with an agronomist regarding changes in cultivation technology.
- Anticipate an increase in PPP costs of 15–20% in the season’s budget and start searching for wholesale suppliers of alternative products.
Advance preparation will help avoid a situation where there is a shortage of necessary products for crop protection during the season.