December 23, 2022

 

Ukraine minister expects major corn harvest decline this year

Mykola Solsky, Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, said corn production in the country could decline 22 to 23 million tonnes this year from 41.9 million tonnes last year due to a reduction in the harvested area caused by Russia's invasion, Financial Post reported.

 

In September, the ministry predicted the corn crop at 25 to 27 million tonnes for this year.

 

Farmers had left a lot of corn in their fields due to a lack of fuel and funds, according to Solsky, and these areas could be harvested by spring.

 

He said this means less volume and lower grain quality.

 

Ukraine has already finished harvesting 19.4 million and 5.6 million tonnes of wheat and barley for 2022.

 

Data from Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food showed farmers had harvested 18.4 million tonnes of corn from 70% of the expected area, with a yield of 6.27 tonnes per hectare as of December 15.

 

The total grain harvest was nearly 45 million tonnes, and the ministry, which had forecast a total harvest of 51 million tonnes, said 49.2 million tonnes could potentially be exported, depending on logistics.

 

The shipments abroad could include 16.3 million tonnes of wheat.

 

Due to the war and Russian blockades of Ukrainian seaports, Ukraine's exports have fallen significantly this season.

 

Three major Ukrainian Black Sea ports were unblocked at the end of July as part of a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey between Moscow and Kyiv.

 

-      Financial Post