June 10, 2011
Ukraine to become second world grain exporter
Ukraine has excellent prospects of being the number two trader on the global grain market this summer, according to the media.
"The weather in Ukraine this summer will be conducive to a bountiful harvest, of grain crops. While winter crops have passed through the first critical period of their growth, the second period is still ahead of us and will come in two to three weeks. All the more, Ukraine is experiencing a drought. How the grain crops will survive this period will be a gauge," said Director of the Agro-Meteorology Department at the Meteorology Center of Ukraine Tetyana Adamenko.
Last week, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine cancelled restrictive quotas on grain export. The decision of Ukraine coincided with a similar policy in Russia to lift any limitations on the export of grain crops starting in July. Six months ago, when in August after the ban on the export of grain was introduced the Ukrainian government passed a similar decision.
"Favourable weather conditions and expansion of land under cultivation of grain crops adds a degree of optimism in our calculations. The forecast of output was upgraded by 7% or 3.1 million tonnes. According to our estimates, the gross yield of all grain crops in Ukraine may amount to 47 million tonnes or 13% more than the 2010 harvest," AAA Consulting Agency said.
Such a yield will allow Ukraine to export a record high volume of grain crops at around 27 million tonnes. The last time Ukraine could boast such a high crop yield was in the 2008-09 season, when around 25 million tonnes of grain crops were exported.