President & CEO
Harmelia Holdings
Kyiv, Ukraine
Keynote Session: Agriculture in Ukraine
Wednesday, January 25 9:00am -10:00am Plenary Room
Cropping Systems in Ukraine & Russia
Wednesday, January 25 4:00pm - 5:00pm Room 3
Bio
John is President and CEO of Harmelia Holdings. Established in 2010, Harmelia is operating over 73,000 hectares in Poltava and Kharkiv Oblasts and is amongst the largest agricultural companies in Ukraine.
With over 18 years of experience working both in Ukraine and Russia, John started his business career with DuPont. John was responsible for the CIS countries for 8 years as Director of DuPont in Moscow, Russia. Prior to this assignment, John started DuPont’s operations in Ukraine in 1993 and served in Kyiv as the General Manager from 2003-2008 where he was responsible for DuPont’s agrochemical business.
John has served on numerous boards such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, DuPont Khimprom, DuPont Russian Coatings, and 2 agricultural companies in Ukraine.
He received his MBA from the International Management Institute in Geneva and his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. John served 10 years as a navy pilot before joining DuPont.
Both of Ukrainian background, John and his wife Patricia Shmorhun-Hawrylyshyn recently returned to Kyiv, Ukraine from their home base in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland.
Session Summary
Keynote Session: Agriculture in Ukraine
In a global economy where the demand for food is rising, Ukraine is showing significant opportunities. Strategically located on the Black Sea, Ukraine accounts for one-third of the world’s black soil and has more agricultural territory than any other country in Europe. Today, large Ukrainian agricultural companies are playing a pivotal role in the supply of global grain. However, with opportunities come challenges. With 20 years experience in the region, John Shmorhun, President of Harmelia Holdings, paints the picture of the agriculture industry in Ukraine.
Cropping Systems in Ukraine & Russia
Cropping systems in Russia and Ukraine have changed considerably since Soviet times. Focus is on profitable spring and winter crop mixes with traditional cereals, oil seeds and technical crops.
Large agriculture companies using modern technology with professional western management and investments are taking the lead.
However, much more needs to be done. Storage and logistics systems must be improved. Fertilizer loads are a fraction of what the West uses. Precision farming is still in the future giving these two countries tremendous upsides in productivity.
Concurrent session is a joint presentation with Ryan Young
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