September 16, 2011

Ukraine's grain inventories up 20%

The state statistics committee reported that Ukraine's grain stocks totalled 21.9 million tonnes on September 1, 20% up as compared to same date last year.

The grain stocks included 15.7 million tonnes of wheat, 4.1 tonnes of barley, 0.5 million tonnes of corn and 400,000 tonnes of rye.

Farmers held on the date just over 13.8 million tonnes of grain, 21% up than last year, including 9.3 million tonnes of wheat, 2.8 million tonnes of barley, 400,000 tonnes of corn and 300,000 tonnes of rye.

The remaining grain was held by grain storage and processing enterprises.

Ukraine's grain harvest in 2010 fell by 14.8% on year to 39.23 million tonnes in clean weight because of drought. The agriculture ministry expects this year's grain harvest to be 50 million tonnes. Ukraine's annual grain consumption is about 26 million tonnes.