Ukraine begins grain harvest

MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax) - Farmers from six regions of Ukraine have started harvesting early grain and leguminous crops, having already threshed 48,300 tonnes of grain, Ukrainian media reported, citing a statement from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.

Notably, 1,100 tonnes of wheat were threshed with a yield of 22 centners/ha, as well as 39,900 tonnes of barley with a yield of 29.8 centners/ha and 7,300 tonnes of peas with a yield of 22.0 centners/ha.

The ministry predicted that gross production of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine should reach 74 million tonnes in 2024, including about 52.4 million tonnes of grains and 21.7 million tonnes of oilseeds. "Forecasts are preliminary and will be adjusted throughout the year depending on circumstances, primarily weather conditions," the ministry said.

According to the forecast, farmers this year could harvest 19.2 million tonnes of wheat (versus 22.2 million tonnes last year), 4.9 million tonnes of barley (versus 5.7 million tonnes last year), and 26.7 million tonnes of corn (versus 30.5 million tonnes last year). Soybean production is forecast to increase to 5.2 million tonnes (versus 4.7 million tonnes last year). The sunflower harvest is forecast at 12.4 million tonnes (versus 12.9 million tonnes last year), and rapeseed is forecast at 4.1 million tonnes (versus 4.7 million tonnes last year).

Gross production totaled close to 82 million tonnes in 2023, including over 60 million tonnes of grains and about 22 million tonnes of oilseeds.