May 1, 2012

Ukraine sows spring grain 12.4% higher on-year

The 2012 spring grains plantings of Ukraine is 12.4% ahead of the previous year, according to agriculture researcher UkrAgroConsult.

Plantings advanced to 4.98 million hectares (12.3 million acres) as of yesterday, Kiev-based UkrAgroConsult said in an e-mailed statement.

This compares with 4.43 million hectares seeded by the same date last year, the researcher said.

Spring grain plantings this year included 2.8 million hectares of barley, 250,000 hectares of spring wheat and other crops, UkrAgroConsult said.

Sunflower planting rose as of yesterday to 1.46 million hectares, compared with 372,000 hectares a year ago, the researcher said. Soy areas rose to 223,000 hectares from 198,000 last year, UkrAgroConsult said.