August 23, 2012

Ukraine's winter crops area down in 2013

Ukraine's regions have lowered the anticipated cultivated area for winter crops for the 2013 harvest.

"The area for the sowing of winter crops in Ukraine is declining, for example, Zaporizhzhia region - minus 55,000 hectares, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea - minus 85,000 hectares, which is almost 30% lower [than it was last year in Crimea]," Director of the Department of Agriculture at the Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry Oleksandr Demydov has said at a regional meeting on the sowing of winter grain crops and rapeseed in the current year.

He said that the predicted area under winter crops had been reduced in 10 regions in Ukraine. "This is unacceptable. Please make all conclusions," he said.