Liliia Shumska: In distribution, everything hinges on trust

Global prices, logistical challenges, seasonal risks, and constant competition—the agricultural resources market demands quick decision-making and the ability to adapt. But even in such a dynamic field, people and trust remain the key factors.

Lilia Shumska, Head of the Agricultural Resources Trading Department, explains how to build long-term partnerships, why reputation is more important than one-time profit, and what role intuition plays in trade.

1. What is your core philosophy for building trust and long-term relationships with both suppliers and end consumers of agricultural resources?

The most important thing for us is to always keep our word. We never back out of agreements. We always strive to be transparent: we don’t manipulate suppliers or mislead customers—we don’t sell nonexistent goods, we don’t speculate on prices, and we never use false information to make a sale. It’s easier for us to turn down a sale than to make a quick profit and lose our reputation forever.

Overall, we aim to take a long-term approach: offering the most favorable terms for our customers and partners so that they’ll want to come back to us again.

2. The agricultural resources market is very dynamic: prices, logistics, and demand can change in a matter of days. Often, decisions must be made today, but their outcome only becomes clear several months later. What do you rely on in such situations?

Constant market analysis and communication with partners, farmers, and all market participants help us make decisions and respond quickly to changes. We gather different perspectives and continuously monitor global prices and the market. That’s how we stay flexible and ready for any challenges.

Intuition also helps. To be honest, we sign some contracts based solely on it. Although, they say that intuition doesn’t exist—that it’s 80% knowledge and experience and 20% luck. And indeed, without deep knowledge, there can be no intuition. But I know for sure that I can wake up in the morning with a clear feeling: today, we need to sign a contract for this specific product.

3. What does “quality service” mean to you when working with clients?

It’s important to understand what quality service means to a client.

Every farmer wants to receive products at the best price, on time, and of the right quality. It’s also important for them to have support: so that they can reach out to us at any time and get help.

Another key aspect is payment terms. We offer flexible solutions: we allow for deferred payments, which is very convenient for farmers.

And, of course, reliability. Our partners know that if we promise something, we’ll definitely deliver.

4. In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to building long-term partnerships? What signs indicate that a collaboration is unlikely to be successful?

The most concerning thing is when a partner views us merely as a fallback option or tries to exploit the situation solely for their own benefit. Trust cannot be built where there is no reciprocity.

When it comes to suppliers, it’s unacceptable to us when they deliberately provide us with false information about the market to sway us toward a certain decision, or when they disregard partnership agreements as soon as market conditions change.

It’s equally important to keep one’s word. When agreements are constantly pushed to “tomorrow” or one party fails to fulfill its obligations, trust is quickly eroded.

We pay close attention to such signals. Over the years, we’ve learned to see much more than meets the eye))

5. What traits or skills do you think are most important for someone working in the agricultural resources distribution sector?

I suppose that to work in this field, you have to be a sort of “anxious empath”—in the best sense of the word. This refers to people who know where the exit is from a room even before they’ve entered it.

People working in this field need to be sociable and responsible. Emotional intelligence is a must. After all, in sales, aside from price and terms, personal rapport with the salesperson plays a huge role. We need to be able to see our clients first and foremost as people, to “read” what’s okay for them and what isn’t.

And overall, a person must be passionate about this work, be able to fight for every customer, and not be afraid of difficult situations.

6. What aspect of your department’s or division’s work brings you the most satisfaction or a sense of fulfillment?

What brings me the most satisfaction is seeing the mutual benefits of a deal for both myself and the client, when I take a chance on a product or solution, hoping it will “take off,” and then see positive results a few months later. It’s really exciting to bring in new clients, the “battle” to win them over, and also when a lot of people show up at the event and you realize that people are interested in us—that our work isn’t in vain. It’s great to see high sales volumes and big numbers right before your eyes, to feel that we’ve already built a solid reputation with foreign manufacturers and partners, and that it’s working in our favor. And it’s a special thrill when someone calls just to ask for your opinion: that’s also a kind of confirmation that you’re doing your job well and that your expertise matters.