Ukraine: Farms almost completed 2021 spring grain sowing

Ukrainian farms have almost completed 2021 spring grain sowing, seeding most of the early spring grains and finishing corn sowing, agriculture ministry data showed on May 24.

Farms had sown 176,600 hectares of spring wheat, or 99.2% of the expected area, the data showed. They also sowed 1.39 million hectares of spring barley, equating to 96.2% of the planned area, and around 5.3 million hectares of corn, amounting to 92% of the expected area.

The economy ministry has said that favourable weather could help Ukraine to harvest at least 75 million tonnes of grain this year, versus 65 million tonnes in 2020.

Ukraine's new agriculture minister Roman Lyshchenko on May 24 said that the country could harvest 100 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds this year.

Analysts expect the harvest to reach up to 71 million tonnes.

The agriculture ministry said the overall grain area is likely to total 15.5 million hectares this year, including 7.6 million hectares of spring grains.

The spring sowing area is expected to include 1.388 million hectares of barley, 176,600 hectares of wheat, 5.327 million hectares of corn, 194,050 hectares of oats and 235,400 hectares of peas.

The ministry said farms had also sown 6.4 million hectares of sunflower, equating to 87.7% of the expected area, and completed sugar beet sowing at 226,900 hectares.

The ministry has said the 2021 area for sunflowers could total 6.4 million hectares, soy beans 1.4 million hectares and sugar beet 226,900 hectares.