February 27, 2004

Ukraine's 2004 Grain Acreage Area Up 24%

Ukraine intends to plant grain on a total area of 15.5 million hectares in 2004, 24% more than in the previous season, Deputy Agrarian Policy Minister Nikolai Bezuglyi said in Kiev Thursday.

Winter grains have been planted on 7.1 million hectares, 17.9% less than in the previous season as the planting campaign was disrupted by bad weather.

Spring grains will be planted on 8.4 million hectares, double the 2003 area.

Bezuglyi said February 24 Ukraine was likely to harvest 35 million metric tons of grain in 2004, an increase of 73% on the year.

In 2003 Ukraine harvested 20.2 million tons of grain, down nearly 50% from the previous harvest, owing to crop damage by severe winter frosts.