Article written by Lukie Pieterse, Potato News Today
In the heart of war-torn Ukraine, where resilience is not just a virtue but a necessity, Agrolines LLC continues to stand strong as a critical supporter of the country’s potato and vegetable farmers.
Owner of Agrolinii LLC.
(Photo supplied)
Agrolines has been importing vegetable machinery to Ukraine for 20 years, being the official representative of GRIMME.
In an exclusive interview with Lukie Pieterse of Potato News Today, Dmytro shared their journey, from building Agrolines into Ukraine’s premier vegetable farming equipment supplier to navigating the extraordinary challenges brought by the war. Despite overwhelming adversity, their mission remains clear: to support Ukrainian professional vegetable growers.
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Agrolines’s mission has become more than just business – it has become a fight for survival and a commitment to the country’s food security.
Building Ukraine’s Potato Industry: From small private to large professional potato producers
With deep expertise in vegetable farming machinery, the company supplies vegetable machinery to the GRIMME corporation.
The GRIMME corporation includes several companies:
• GRIMME (Germany) – manufacturing equipment for potatoes, vegetables, and sugar beets.
• ASA-LIFT (Denmark) – equipment for harvesting carrots, beets, onions, celery, leeks, and more.
• SPUDNIK (USA) – machinery for planting, maintenance, harvesting, transporting, sorting, and storing potatoes.
Additionally, Agrolines partners with leading European manufacturers:
• BROCH (Spain) – machinery for garlic cultivation and harvesting.
• TOMRA (Norway) – developer of optical sorting systems.
• BAUER (Austria) – specialized in large-scale frontal and circular irrigation machines.
• IRRILAND (Italy) – manufacturer of drum-type irrigation machines.
History of Agrolines LLC
Agrolines LLC was founded by Dmytro Levichev in 2005. Before that, since 1994, he worked as a sales manager for agricultural machinery for sugar beets and grain crops at dealerships collaborating with leading German agricultural equipment manufacturers. n 1997, Dmytro sold the first GRIMME potato machine in Ukraine.
As he continued working with the company, he was impressed by GRIMME’s professionalism and commitment to obligations. He thoroughly studied GRIMME’s product range and recognized the potential of the potato farming sector.
He proposed to his manager to seriously invest in this machinery, but the idea was dismissed. Understanding the market demand, Dmytro decided to start his own business, focusing specifically on the vegetable farming segment.
Since then, Agrolines has expanded to over 170 active clients across Ukraine—from small family-run farms to large agricultural enterprises. The company offers not only machinery sales but also technical support, training, and spare parts, ensuring that Ukrainian farmers have the tools they need to thrive.
War’s Toll on Agrolines and Ukraine’s Potato Farmers
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has devastated the country’s agricultural sector, and Agrolines has not been spared. Before February 24, 2022, the company employed 15 skilled professionals and had an extensive presence in Ukraine’s key vegetable producing regions. But the war changed everything.
who serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, had a
short vacation. (Photo supplied)
- Workforce Cut in Half: Due to the invasion, several employees became refugees and several lost contact after occupation. Today, only eight employees remain.
- Lost Markets: Many of Agrolines’s customers—particularly in the once-thriving southern regions of Ukraine—are now inaccessible due to occupation or destruction.
- Heroic Sacrifices: Two Agrolines employees took up arms to defend Ukraine. Serhii Trofimchuk, a young service engineer, was killed in combat, while Yevhen Babiy, a former sales specialist, is currently serving on the frontlines in Donetsk region. Their courage is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Despite these hardships, Agrolines continues its operations, ensuring farmers receive the necessary support to keep producing potatoes and vegetables—an effort crucial to Ukraine’s food security.
Agriculture on the Frontline: The Struggle to Farm Under Fire
Ukrainian farmers are battling more than just droughts and market fluctuations—they are farming under the constant threat of shelling. Yet, against all odds, they persist.
Agrolines LLC plays a crucial role in helping farmers access the latest technology to maximize yields under these difficult conditions. The company supplies essential irrigation, harvesting, and storage solutions that allow farmers to keep producing despite war-related disruptions.
However, the challenges are immense:
- Uncertainty discourages investment. Farmers are hesitant to invest in new machinery amid instability.
- High credit costs. With interest rates exceeding 20% per year in Ukrainian hryvnia, financing new equipment is nearly impossible.
- Processing bottlenecks. Ukraine has only three potato chip factories and no French fry or potato flake production facilities—a major obstacle for industry growth.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for a Stronger Ukrainian Potato Industry
at a Ukrainian farmer in the Chernihiv region.
Photo supplied.
Despite the hardships, Agrolines remains optimistic about the future. The company envisions a revitalized Ukrainian potato industry, driven by innovation and European integration.
Among Agrolines’s ambitious plans:
- Expanding its sales and service team to better support Ukrainian farmers.
- Acquiring land to construct a dedicated dealership center, complete with a warehouse and machinery showcase.
- Dmytro hopes that Ukrainian vegetable growers will have the opportunity to use GRIMME’s self-propelled harvesters, such as REXOR and VARITRON.
- With Ukraine’s eventual accession to the European Union and NATO, Agrolines hopes for an agricultural transformation—one where long-term financing becomes available, processing infrastructure is developed, and Ukraine’s potato industry reaches its full potential.
A Company Worth Recognizing
In a country where war threatens not just businesses but the very fabric of life, Agrolines LLC and its leader Dmytro Levichev continue to fight for the survival of Ukrainian agriculture. Their dedication ensures that Ukrainian farmers—many of whom are working their fields in war zones—have the machinery, support, and expertise to keep planting, harvesting, and feeding their nation.
Their story is not just about farming—it’s about resilience, courage, and hope for a better future.
Dmitro Levychev is a competent expert in the vegetable sector, deeply familiar with modern technologies and machines. He is professionally engaged in his work, and his wife Oksana helps him to cover the activities of Agrolines LLC in the online information space.
For more information about Agrolines LLC, visit https://agrolines.com.ua.
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15RwWg6NZa/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Author: Lukie Pieterse, Potato News Today
Contact information:
Anyone with an interest in Agrolines LLC and the potato industry sector in the Ukraine is welcome to get in touch with Dmitry and Oksana on any of these email addresses – they will welcome this and will respond:
info@agrolines.com.ua
oksana.company@gmail.com
Also find Agrolines on Instagram here
Cover image: Franz Grimme, Dmitro Levichev and his wife Oksana. Agritechnica in Hannover in November 2023. Photo supplied.
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