April 24, 2009
Black Sea grain exports to increase this year, fall next year
Grain exports from the Black Sea region are projected to more than double to 52.2 million tonnes in 2008-09, but may decline to 48.5 million tonnes in 2009-10 due to a lower crop this year, according to UkrAgroConsult.
The bumper harvest last season was why exports spiked up this year, said UkrAgroConsult director Serhiy Feofilov.
But the possibility of drought in late spring and summer, and difficulties in securing credits might reduce the harvest this year and lower exports, he said.
Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan, the Black Sea region's leading grain producers, could export a total of 36.3 million tonnes of wheat, 8.1 million tonnes of barley, 3.6 million tonnes of corn and about 500,000 of other grains in 2009-10.
Ukraine alone is expected to export about 18.9 million tonnes of grain, including 9.5 million tonnes of wheat, 6.4 million tonnes of barley and three million tonnes of corn.
