Ukraine canola seedlings in poor condition

Nearly 30 percent of winter canola seedlings in Ukraine are weak and thin, according to local media reports on Friday (Nov 6).

Agrarian Policy deputy minister Ivan Demchak said only 75 percent of winter canola sowings from 1.4 million hectares of initial sowing areas received canola seedlings.

The poor condition of the canola seedlings was attributed to weather conditions that lowered the growing potential of winter grains in the first autumn months in Ukraine, the agency said.

Poor rainfall in all territories of Ukraine caused a slowdown in field sowing and forced growers to change their plans. Ukrzernoprom, a large-scale producer of canola in Ukraine, decreased canola sowing areas for the 2010 harvest by 8.5 percent or 5,000 hectares to 54,000 hectares, the agency reported.

Reports show that in 2009, the general oilseed production in Ukraine is expected at the level of nearly 9 million tonnes, including 1.89 million tonnes of canola and 950,000 tonnes of soy.

In 2009, canola sowing areas totalled 1.4 million hectares, and soy sowing areas were at 600,000 hectares.