June 22, 2012

Ukraine plants almost 16 million hectares of grain

Ukraine has completed planting of cereal crops over 15.9 million hectares, based on specified data from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

This was disclosed at a briefing during the Cabinet meeting by First Deputy Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Mykola Bezuhly.

"Cereals were sown on an area of 15.9 million hectares. This is the same as last year. Cereals occupy 58% of the acreage, and it is in keeping with the science-based recommendations for acreage in this country," the deputy minister said.

Bezuhly noted that, due to difficult weather conditions, particularly prolonged drought, the structure of sown area has been transformed. He said the acreage under corn for grain increased by one million hectares compared to the year 2011 and reached 4.6 million hectares, sorghum increased by 100 hectares to 200 thousand hectares, soy by 200 thousand hectares to 1.3 million hectares.

The first deputy minister stressed that the planting of other crops is traditional.

"Food security in these areas has been fully guaranteed," Bezuhly said.