July 10, 2012

Ukraine's 2012 grain harvest to reach 42.8 million tonnes

Ukraine's gross grain harvest in 2012 will reach 42.8 million tonnes of which 20.8 million tonnes will be shipped to foreign markets, according to analysts.

Such a forecast was made by the director of the ProAgro consulting firm, Mykola Vernitsky, at a press conference on Monday (July 9), a UKRINFORM reporter said.

"Taking into account available data on the sowing of winter crops for the 2012 harvest and the course of the spring sowing campaign, as well as weather conditions during the growing season of plants, it is expected that this year the harvest of grain and leguminous crops, including corn, in Ukraine could reach 42.8 million tonnes," the expert said.

While analysing the current situation, he also suggested that in the current marketing year farmers would export 20.8 million tonnes of grain to foreign markets.

Exports of wheat in the 2012-13 marketing year will reach 4.8 million tonnes, or 9% less than in the previous marketing year, barley - 1.8 million tonnes (2.5 million tonnes less than last year), and corn - 13.7 million tonnes (two million tonnes less than last year).

According to the Ukrainian Weather Centre, the gross harvest of grain and leguminous crops in Ukraine in 2012 is projected at 43-44 million tonnes, or about 10-12 million tonnes less than in 2011.