October 14, 2009

Ukraine is likely to harvest this year 42.9 million tonnes of grain in clean weight and export in the current marketing year, July 2009-June 2010, 16.69 million tonnes of grain, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday (October 13).

 

Ukraine harvested in 2009 53.3 million tonnes of grain and exported in the 2008-2009 marketing year 25.2 million tonnes.

 

The agriculture ministry said earlier that this year's grain harvest was expected at 45 million tonnes and grain exports in the 2009-2010 marketing year at 18 million tonnes.

 

The correction has been made after the ministry received correct harvest volumes data from the regions.

 

Now the ministry forecasts wheat harvest this year at 20.5 million tonnes compared with 26 million tonnes last year. Barley harvest is forecast at 11.7 million tonnes compared with 12.6 million tonnes last year. Corn harvest is forecast at 7.93 million tonnes, down from 11.4 million tonnes last year.

 

The fall in grain exports in the current marketing year will be mostly due to a reduction in corn exports, which are forecast to fall to 1.17 million tonnes from 5.5 million tonnes in the previous marketing year.

 

Wheat exports in the current marketing year are forecast at 10.655 million tonnes from 13 million tonnes a year earlier, and the barley exports forecast is 4.64 million tonnes compared with 6.15 million tonnes in the 2008-2009 marketing year.

 

The ministry said the amount of grain on offer in Ukraine in the current marketing year will be 50.6 million tonnes compared with 60 million tonnes in the 2008-2009 marketing year.

 

Of that amount 6.8 million tonnes, including 5.4 million tonnes of wheat, will be used for food, 3.1 million tonnes for seeds, 15 million tonnes for animal feed and 2 million tonnes in the food processing industry.

 

Remaining grain stocks on July 1, 2010 are forecast at 6.55 million tonnes compared with 7.54 million tonnes on July 1, 2009.

 

The ministry also said 7.2 million tonnes of grain harvested this year was exported to Oct. 9, practically the same amount as on the same date last year.