November 8, 2011

Ukrainian grain harvest reaches 52.4 million tonnes

As of November 7, Ukraine harvested 95% of the planting area or 52.4 million tonnes of grain by bunker weight in contrast to 40.7 million tonnes during the same period last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry on Monday (Nov 7).

The ministry said in a report the yield averaged 3.6 tonnes per hectare in 2011 against 2.82 tonnes in 2010, when the harvest was hit by severe drought.

Ukraine has already completed harvest of most its grains, including wheat and barley.

The ministry said farms had also almost completed corn harvesting, threshing 16.87 million tonnes of the commodity by bunker weight from 2.8 million hectares or from 79% of the sown area.

Farm Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk has said Ukraine is likely to double its corn harvest to 22 million tonnes this year.