January 12, 2012

 

Ukraine's 2012 grain yield may drop 22%

 

 

Due to a drought during sowing, the grain output of Ukraine is likely to be lower between 44 and 46 million tonnes in 2012 from a record 56.4 million tonnes in 2011, Farm Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk said Wednesday (Jan 11).

 

Prysyazhnyuk said that a fall in the 2012 wheat harvest to about 12 million tonnes was the main reason for the decrease in the grain crop this year. Ukraine harvested 22.4 million tonnes of wheat in 2011.

 

"As of today, we see the 2012 grain harvest at 44 to 46 million tonnes. The fall is due to a small wheat harvest, it may be about 12 million tonnes," Prysyazhnyuk said.

 

Analyst UkrAgroConsult said this week that the former Soviet republic could harvest 44.7 million tonnes of grain this year, including 14.5 million tonnes of wheat.

 

The consultancy said the wheat area, which would be harvested in 2012, is likely to fall to 5.45 million hectares from 6.69 million in 2011.

 

The government said that 79.7% of the sown area had sprouted as of December 26 against 93% at the same date in 2010.

 

The Agriculture Ministry said that 66% of the sprouted crops was in good or satisfactory conditions while 34% was in poor state.

 

The share of poor crops totalled 7% as of December 26, 2010.

 

Prysyazhnyuk said that poor weather could affect mostly winter wheat while other grains might produce good harvests.

 

"The harvest of other grains could be even higher than in 2011. Farms are likely to increase the area sown for barley and maize", he said, but gave no details.

 

UkrAgroConsult has said Ukraine was likely to increase the area sown for barley to 4.4 million hectares this year from 3.8 million in 2011.

 

The area under corn is likely to rise to 3.8 million hectares from 3.5 million.