AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAINS FOR PLANT PRODUCTS: CURRENT CHALLENGES

Abstract

The study analyzes the current state, dynamics, and problems of agri-food supply chains of crops in Ukraine under wartime challenges. The process of value-added formation within the chains is examined and changes in their structure are assessed, covering the stages of crop production and processing, logistics and transportation, storage and distribution of agricultural raw materials and their processed products. It has been established that the share of value added generated in agriculture has almost halved, being partially replaced by the trade segment. The dynamics of sown areas and production volumes of the main crop types are studied and it has been determined that the sown areas and the production volumes of basic crops. The performance of grain, legume, and oilseed production is examined across agricultural enterprises of different sizes. The results of the analysis indicate that the smallest group of large producers (over 1,000 hectares) accounts for the main share of agricultural output, whereas the most numerous group of small enterprises (up to 200 hectares) has a significantly smaller share in total production. The problem of a significant yield gap between small and large enterprises has been identified. In particular, it was found that grain yields in small enterprises are 30.28% lower than in large ones. The deviation in soybean yields between large and small enterprises is 23.62%, rapeseed – 17.03%, and sunflower – 9.64%. The trends in grain and oilseed exports before and after the full-scale military invasion are analyzed. It was found that at the beginning of full-scale invasion, there was a sharp drop in the shares of the value of grain and oilseed exports in total domestic exports. The export dynamics indicate a decline in wheat and maize export volumes at the onset of the war followed by their gradual recovery, whereas the export of oilseeds continued to grow even at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Further research should focus on substantiating the mechanisms of vertical coordination (contractual relations, cooperation, and integration models) as instruments for enhancing the resilience, efficiency, and balanced development of agri-food supply chains under wartime and post-war conditions.