Farmers' Path to Booking Simplified: Land Threshold Lowered Fivefold

From October 18, 2026, Ukraine will significantly ease industry criteria for agricultural enterprises seeking the status of important for the national economy - one of the stages of obtaining critical status and the ability to book conscripted workers.

The new rules were approved by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food Order No. 11 of September 2, 2026, registered with the Ministry of Justice on September 4. The document comes into force on October 18.

The main change concerns the size of the farm. According to the previous criteria, an agricultural enterprise had to cultivate at least 1,000 hectares of agricultural land to meet one of the industry criteria. Now this threshold is reduced fivefold - to 200 hectares.

At the same time, the financial threshold is halved. If previously an alternative to the land criterion was an annual net income of at least 40 million UAH, under the new rules 20 million UAH is sufficient.

For enterprises engaged in perennial plantations, the requirement has not changed: they can meet the first criterion if they cultivate at least 50 hectares of fruit plantations on the company's balance sheet.

Thus, the first criterion will be considered satisfied if the enterprise meets at least one of three conditions:

• cultivates at least 200 hectares of agricultural land;
• has at least 50 hectares of perennial fruit plantations;
• received at least 20 million UAH of net income from the sale of products, goods, works or services in the previous year.

However, fulfilling only this condition is not enough. To be recognized as important for the agricultural sector, the enterprise must meet two of the established criteria. For most private agricultural companies, the second will be compliance of the main type of activity with the defined list of KVED.

The list covers not only direct cultivation of grain, vegetables, fruits and animal husbandry. It also includes auxiliary work in crop and livestock production, post-harvest activities, trade in grain and seeds, production and supply of fertilizers, plant protection products, veterinary drugs and agricultural machinery.

Separately, the criteria apply to elevators and enterprises engaged in cleaning, drying, storage and processing of grain, as well as a wide list of food producers - meat, dairy products, oil, flour, bread, sugar, beverages and other products.

The main KVED of the enterprise will be checked as of June 1, 2026. So a simple change of the main type of activity after this date will not allow automatically meeting the new rules.

The third criterion is being under the management of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food or the management of corporate rights of the state in its charter capital by the ministry.

To make a decision, the enterprise must also submit a certified copy of the tax calculation of employee income, withheld taxes and accrued unified social contribution for the last reporting period with confirmation of its acceptance by the tax service.

The new thresholds especially change the situation for small and medium-sized farms. A farm that cultivates, for example, 300-500 hectares and previously did not pass the land threshold of 1,000 hectares will be able to meet the first industry criterion after October 18. Similarly, the circle of enterprises with annual income from 20 to 40 million UAH is expanding.

At the same time, the new order does not mean automatic booking of workers after reaching 200 hectares or 20 million UAH of income. It defines sectoral conditions for recognizing an enterprise as important for the national economy. To obtain critical status and subsequent booking of conscripts, the enterprise must go through the procedure provided by the general rules of booking.

Until October 18, the previous criteria of the Ministry of Economy remain in effect, according to which the thresholds of 1,000 hectares and 40 million UAH of annual income were applied for the agricultural direction.

Based on materials: LIGA:ZAKON / Order of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food No. 11, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine / previous criteria