February 16, 2011

Majority of Ukraine's winter grains in good condition

About 94% of Ukrainian winter grain crops were in good or satisfactory condition as of February 10 compared with about 90% a year earlier, Ukraine's agriculture ministry stated Tuesday (Feb 15).

Ukraine's grain harvest fell 15% to 39.2 million tonnes in 2010 after a severe drought in June-September hit the country's leading grain production areas.

Analysts said last month that favourable weather allowed Ukraine to forecast a harvest of about 46 million tonnes for 2011.

But UkrAgoConsult agriculture consultancy last week said that severe frosts, which had already hit Ukraine, could worsen the condition of winter grain crops.