On the temporarily occupied part of Kherson Oblast, the occupiers recorded a significant and prolonged reduction in agricultural production volumes after 2022.
This is evidenced by data presented in the “State Program for the Development of Agriculture and the Regulation of Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food of Kherson Oblast”, which was approved by the occupation government.
According to the data in the document, in 2022 the region produced 1.485 million tons of wheat, 368.1 thousand tons of sunflower, 181.9 thousand tons of vegetables in farms of all forms of ownership. Milk production amounted to 117.3 thousand tons, and livestock and poultry for slaughter (live weight) — 18.3 thousand tons.
In 2023 and 2024 production decreased by 16.1% and 29.8% respectively compared to 2022. The largest decline was recorded in crop production. Wheat production fell by 239.2 thousand tons in 2023 and by 442 thousand tons in 2024, sunflower — by 59.3 thousand and 109.6 thousand tons respectively, vegetables — by 29.3 thousand and 54.2 thousand tons.
Negative dynamics were also observed in animal husbandry. Livestock and poultry slaughter decreased by 3.0 thousand tons in 2023 and by 5.5 thousand tons in 2024, and milk production — by 18.9 thousand and 37.0 thousand tons respectively.
By the end of 2025 the region produced 918.4 thousand tons of wheat, 89.0 thousand tons of sunflower, 130.4 thousand tons of vegetables, 6.0 thousand tons of livestock and poultry for slaughter and 75.0 thousand tons of milk. Compared to 2022, the production volumes of key types of agricultural products have decreased several-fold.
A decline was also recorded in the food and processing industry. The production index of major types of food products by agro-industrial enterprises in 2023 was 71.9% of the 2022 level, and in 2024 it fell to 57%.
The program notes that the main causes of the production reduction were the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir dam, which led to the loss of a significant portion of irrigated land, as well as extreme weather conditions — soil drought and a prolonged absence of precipitation.
The Russians, of course, do not name the war and the occupation of part of Kherson region as the causes of the decline.