Grain harvest likely to fall in Ukraine
Ukraine’s grain harvest this year is likely to fall from 63 million tonnes to about 60 million metric tonnes in 2013 as a result of current political instability, the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation announced.
The harvest of all feed crops will be affected and the announced forecast revised as the growing tension in the Eastern regions in fact paralyses any sowing. In addition to this the crisis in Ukraine has prompted a sharp depreciation of the national currency, the Hryvna, against the dollar, leading to higher prices for the import of fuel, seeds and fertilisers, the confederation said in its press-release.
It said it expected the corn harvest to reach around 29 million tonnes this year, wheat to total about 22 million tonnes, barley 8 million tonnes and rye 2 million tonnes.
The agriculture ministry also added that Ukraine spring grain planting for this year’s harvest had fallen behind last year’s pace, with 7.5 million hectares planted to May 19, which is 90% of the total area planned for spring grains and compares with 8.049 million hectares planted in the corresponding period last year.
Also Ukraine will lose about 2 million tonnes of grain due to the loss of Crimea, that has been annexed by Russia in March.
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