By sharing its knowledge of cultivating potatoes, P.E.I. is assisting Ukraine in reviving its economy. Last year, Razom Invest Canada, a P.E.I.-based business led by former Malpeque MP Wayne Easter, started instructing Ukrainians in the large-scale planting and harvesting of potatoes.

In Ukraine, potatoes are a basic meal, but the conflict with Russia is presently causing a scarcity.

“They imported something like 40% of their potatoes from Belarus, and they’re not on good terms [with] Belarus at the moment, so that’s opened up some opportunity,” Easter said in an interview with Island Morning host Mitch Cormier, cited by CBC.

In the western Ukrainian village of Luhyny, the first crop was planted and harvested with the aid of machinery imported from the Netherlands.

There was a hiccup, though. Easter stated that the continued export controls put in place by the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) prevented them from using P.E.I. seeds. As a result, they were compelled to purchase seed from Scotland. According to him, it produced a harvest that is being stored and sold into the regional food chain, making it “equivalent to one of the better crops on Prince Edward Island.”

To establish more trade connections, Razom now plans to grow into other farming sectors in Ukraine.

Easter and his companion were in Ukraine for around 40 and 100 days, respectively. The Ukrainian farmers, he claimed, are keen to experiment further. In March, he intends to return to the nation to assist with planting season preparations.

Although the conflict mostly affects Ukraine’s east, it also restricts what can be done with their cash crops around the Black Sea. However, Easter claimed that a lot of grocery stores had stock that was comparable to that of Canada.

“Ukrainians are getting on with their lives, and, yes, there are air raid sirens, and, yes, there are missiles coming into the west, and it is a country at war. But they’re getting on with their lives and the West has to be there in every way they can be to help the Ukrainians out,” Easter concluded.