Chumak set to construct tomato paste factory in Odesa Oblast despite war

"Vegetable growing is a highly costly business," said the official.

“It depends on irrigation and the purchase of specialized equipment, as farmers are complaining about the shortage of workers. In addition to investing in production mechanization, attention should also be paid to storage and post-processing. We have enormous potential – natural, logistical (...), and human.”

The company considers this region to be favorable due to its climatic conditions. The relocation of Chumak's production facilities to Odesa Oblast will be a significant support for the region's agro-industrial complex and will create almost 5,000 additional jobs, Stoianova said.

For his part, Mykhailo Bilyi, director of Evryka LLC, suggested "a systematic and balanced approach to product logistics," which will make it easier for farmers to deliver products for processing and help Chumak.

Farmers have also expressed their willingness to expand their tomato production areas.

In the summer of 2022, due to Russia's invasion and occupation of parts of the southern regionsof the country, Ukraine sharply reduced tomato paste exports.