Ukraine Begins Construction of Its First Potato Processing Facility
Ukraine has begun construction on what is set to become the country’s first full-cycle potato processing plant, a milestone project spearheaded by agricultural company MAIS. The facility will produce frozen French fries, potato flakes, and flour—marking a major step forward for a market long dominated by imports and lacking industrial-scale processing capacity.
According to Latifundist.com (October 22, 2025), the company has initiated work on the site and plans to launch operations within two years. The new plant is designed to handle up to 60,000 tonnes of finished products per year, requiring approximately 180,000 tonnes of raw potatoes annually.
The project will operate under a mixed sourcing model, using both MAIS’s own crops and contracted potatoes from growers located within a 150-kilometre radius. The company currently has storage facilities for 20,000 tonnes of potatoes and intends to expand capacity as production scales up.
Founded by Serhii Tereshchuk, MAIS is best known for its seed breeding programs—particularly in maize—and has recently diversified into seed potato production. The new venture represents the next phase of its investment in value-added agri-food processing.
“Ukraine has great potential in potato production but lacks processing capacity,” Tereshchuk told Latifundist.com. He added that the initiative aims to “create a more structured and predictable potato market” and position the country to compete both domestically and internationally.
The first phase of construction includes a line for producing potato flakes and flour, with equipment already purchased and installation underway. Once operational, the plant will serve both domestic and export markets, including the European Union and Middle East, where demand for processed potato products continues to rise.
Although Ukraine ranks among the world’s leading potato producers, the absence of large-scale processors has kept most of its crop in the raw market. At present, around 30,000 tonnes of frozen French fries are imported annually to supply the domestic foodservice sector—a gap MAIS hopes to close with locally produced products.
The company believes the project will accelerate the industrialization of Ukraine’s potato sector, echoing trends seen earlier in the dairy industry as small farms gave way to more technologically advanced producers.
With the facility expected to come online in 2027, industry observers view MAIS’s investment as a potential turning point for the Ukrainian potato market—one that could attract further private investment, enhance grower competitiveness, and boost the country’s presence in regional export markets.
