May 21, 2007

Ukraine plants spring grains on 8.034 million hectares to May 18

Ukraine planted spring grains on 8.034 million hectares to May 18, which exceeds the originally planned total area of 7.949 million hectares, the agriculture ministry reported Friday.

Ukraine's total grain planted area for the 2007 harvest was previously forecast by the agriculture ministry at 14.8 million hectares, about the same as last year, but now it is going to be greater than planned.

Corn was planted to date on 2.046 million hectares, 7 percent more than originally planned.

The agriculture ministry reported earlier that early spring grains planting was completed by May 4, with spring wheat planted on 453,000 hectares, 3 percent more than planned; spring barley planted on 4.216 million hectares, 3 percent more than planned; and spring oats planted on 449,000 hectares, 1 percent more than planned.

Winter grains for the 2007 harvest were planted on 6.981 million hectares, 12.7 percent more than last year.

In 2006, Ukraine's grain harvest fell by 9.9 percent on the year to 34.3 million   tonnes in clean weight. The grain was harvested on 14.19 million hectares.

This year the agriculture ministry expects grain harvest to rise to 38 million tonnes.