August 18, 2006

Ukraine cuts corn crop forecast to 6-6.5 million tonnes

Ukraine's plans to harvest 8 million tonnes of corn this year have been disrupted by hot and dry weather, and this year's harvest is not likely to exceed 6 million-6.5 million tonnes, the Agriculture Ministry said.

Hot and dry weather has settled in Ukraine's main corn producing regions Kharkov, Odessa, Zaporozhye, slowing down the development of the crop, while heavy rains are slowing down harvest in Ukraine's western regions.

In 2005, Ukraine's corn harvest fell by 1.7 million tonnes on the year to 7.17 million tonnes.

This year corn planted area increased by 10.8 percent, compared with 2005, to 1.9 million hectares.