Landmines and dead bodies are just some of the horrors facing many farmers trying to get crucial crops planted this spring in war-torn Ukraine, according to a farmer south of Kyiv.
Kees Huizinga farms dairy cattle and crops 15,000 hectares 200 kilometres from the capital.
Cows in a destroyed farm on the outskirts of Kyiv Photo: AFP or licensors
He told Country Life farmers in northern areas of Ukraine which are no longer under Russian occupation could theoretically go out and plant but it is too dangerous.
"There can be landmines all over the place and there used to be dead Russian soldiers here and there in the fields and some of those farms have been destroyed," Huizinga said.
Ukraine exports about a quarter of the world's wheat and half of its sunflower products, like seeds and oil.
There are fears Russia's invasion, entering its ninth week, will threaten food security and Huizinga has been in western Europe trying to raise the alarm in his native Netherlands.
For farmers in the east and south of Ukraine, where fighting is still underway, it was impossible to plant, Huizinga said.
An estimated 20 to 30 percent of agricultural land would lie fallow this season and further from the front lines, farmers face a lack of diesel, fertiliser and seed.
"It's logistically still a headache."
Those who had money had bought up reserves of inputs but there was no certainty they would be able to sell their produce at the end of the season.
"We have enough for planting and spraying and maybe for a few days of harvesting. After this, it is very insecure."
Blocked ports in the south mean a third of last year's harvest cannot be exported and the inability to fully plant this year's crop will mean further pain even if the war ends, so three seasons would be affected, Huizinga pointed out.
Despite the situation, Huizinga remained philosophical, saying unlike many of his fellow farmers with destroyed farms, he was just concerned about getting drier weather to plant his crops.
"It's an obligation to stay positive. I think Nietzsche said that. We'll just listen to Nietzsche."
