September 5, 2006

Ukraine to increase wheat planted area for 2007 harvest

Ukrainian farmers are planning to plant winter wheat for the 2007 harvest on 5.7 million hectares, compared with 5.353 million hectares a year ago, according to the agriculture ministry.

Out of the 5.353 million hectares planted a year ago, winter wheat was damaged on 206,900 hectares by unusually severe winter frosts. As a result, Ukraine's total wheat harvest this year fell.

Wheat harvest to Sep 1 this year was 14.73 million tonnes, compared with 20.04 million tonnes on the same date last year, according to the agriculture ministry.