USDA ups grain harvest forecast for Ukraine in 2013 by 1 mln tonnes
KYIV. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised upwards its forecast for Ukraine's grain harvest this year by 1 million tonnes from the forecast given in August 2013, to 59.97 million tonnes.
The USDA said projections for the wheat harvest were raised by 500,000 tonnes, to 22 million tonnes.
The forecast for coarse grain (without corn) was revised upwards by 500,000 tonnes, to 8.97 million tonnes, while the forecast for corn did not change and remained at 29 million tonnes.
The USDA predicts that Ukraine in the 2013/2014 marketing year (July 2013 through June 2014) will export 20.38 million tonnes of coarse grain, which is 200,000 tonnes up on the forecast given in August 2013. Forecasts for corn and wheat exports remained unchanged - 18 million tonnes and 10 million tonnes respectively.
The Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry predicts that the grain harvest in the country in 2013 will exceed 57 million tonnes, compared to 46.2 million tonnes gathered in 2012. Its exports, according to the ministry, could exceed 30 million tonnes, including 16.4 million tonnes of corn.
