Ukraine Begins Construction of Largest Potato Processing Plant to Cut Imports

Construction has officially begun on what is set to become Ukraine’s largest potato processing plant at the Biosens Industrial Park in the Cherkasy region. The project is expected to significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported processed potato products while strengthening its domestic food processing industry.

According to Dmytro Kysylevskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, the first phase of the facility is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2026 or early 2027. 

The initial phase represents an investment of UAH 960 million (USD 22.9 million) and will focus on producing potato flour, with an annual production capacity of 25,000 tonnes. Ukraine currently imports around 2,500 tonnes of potato flour each year for use in the bakery, confectionery, meat-processing, and sauce industries. Once operational, the new plant is expected to fully meet domestic demand and create opportunities for exports.

Infrastructure Expansion and State Support

Construction is progressing rapidly, with workers erecting the main production building, which will cover 6,500 square metres. The project's processing equipment has already arrived in Ukraine, and the facility is being built using modern high-strength steel construction technologies. 

Infrastructure development is also underway. Access roads to the Biosens Industrial Park are being expanded, while the site is being connected to the natural gas network. In late 2025, the Ukrainian government allocated UAH 24.7 million (USD 0.55 million) under a 50:50 co-financing programme to support these infrastructure improvements. The park's management is preparing an additional application for further state funding.

The industrial park itself is set to expand from 29.6 hectares to 40 hectares, with an additional 60-hectare reserve site designated for future development.

Future Expansion to French Fries and Agro-Industrial Hub

The project's second phase, planned for 2027, will establish Ukraine's first large-scale frozen French fries production facility, with an annual capacity ranging between 60,000 and 150,000 tonnes. The expansion will require an estimated UAH 2.5 billion (USD 55.7 million) in investment. A third phase, valued at approximately UAH 3 billion (USD 66.8 million), will further increase French fries production capacity.

The broader agro-industrial development plan also includes the construction of a 20,000-tonne potato storage facility, a waste-processing plant that will convert potato peels into protein and starch, and a modern greenhouse complex supported by a cogeneration power unit. 

Industry officials say the project will not only replace imports of processed potato products—currently supplied to major foodservice chains such as McDonald's and KFC—but also create new opportunities for Ukrainian potato growers, food manufacturers, and exporters while strengthening the country's agricultural value chain.