The current Agriculture Business Climate Index (ABCI) was developed and implemented on the base of common efforts by German-Ukrainian Agriculture Policy Dialog (APD) and Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) on the base of the German Business Climate Index. In the future periodic implementation is foreseen on a quarterly base. ABCI expresses subjective views of producers on the current situation as well as their expectations about the business climate in one year time. The Agriculture Business Index indicates about past changes of business climate.

In November 2015, the Agriculture Business Climate in Ukraine is still rather negative with -3.1 pp, but higher than in August 2015 (-6.7 pp). While the evaluation of the current situation is quite negative (-8.8 pp), expectations about the business climate in one year time are still positive (+2.7 pp) - In light of changes since August 2015 the Agriculture Business Index amounts to 102.7 pp, indicating to slightly improved evaluation of the business climate over the past three months.

The most negative evaluation of Agriculture Business Climate are expressed with regard to the (i) state support (subsidies) for the agricultural business development, (ii) impact of economic situation in Ukraine on agribusiness and (iii) current general policy situation (-68.6 pp, -67.1 pp and - 58.3 pp respectively). Such results confirm the importance of the general framework in comparison to specific agriculture policies.

At the same time (i) access to qualified employees and professional knowledge, (ii) extent of business and (iii) access to modern machinery and equipment are the most positively assessed factors (+48.1 pp, +39.1 pp and +30.6 pp respectively). - The Agriculture Business Index shows the most worsened evaluation with regards to access to third party capital (83.4 pp), while the index on the extent of business has improved significantly (138.5 pp).

Crucial difference in assessment of the Agriculture Business Climate is observed between the attitudes of agricultural entrepreneurs and private households: the first are much more optimistic about their current situation and its perspectives for the next year, whereas individual producers assessed the agriculture business climate quite negative (-21.6 pp). - Moreover, Agriculture Business Index indicates improving evaluation by individual households since August 2015 (106.3 pp) as well as by farm enterprises (slightly more than 101 pp), whereas agriholdings indicate to a worsening down to 98.5 pp.

Crop producers have improved their evaluation of the Agriculture Business Climate slightly (100.7 pp) and contribute now, in November 2015, with +15.5 pp rather positive to the general assessment of Agriculture Business Climate. The Agriculture Business Climate for cattle breeding has worsened since August 2015, but is still evaluated also positive although on a much lower level (+3.6 pp).