Ukraine's grain, oilseeds harvest to reduce 1.6 times to 66 mln tonnes in 2022 - association

MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) - Ukraine may harvest 66 million tonnes of grain, legumes and oilseeds this year, which is 1.6 times less than the largest harvest of 106 million tonnes collected since the Soviet Union collapse in 2021.

Ukraine is expected to harvest 50.4 million tonnes of grain and legumes (1.7 times less than in 2021) and 16 million tonnes of oilseeds (down 41,2%) in 2022, Ukrainian media outlets said with the reference to the website of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) association.

It is expected to harvest 18 million tonnes of wheat (-44%), 25.7 million tonnes of corn (-39%), and 5.2 million tonnes of barley (-55%).

As for oilseeds, Ukraine may harvest 10.6 million tonnes of sunflower seeds (-35%), 3 million tonnes of soy (-14%), and 2.7 million tonnes of rapeseeds (-22%).

Soy and rapeseeds demonstrate the lowest rates of decline in the expected gross harvest. The UCAB explains this with a relatively small harvest of such crops and their high prices, which facilitates export logistics.

"Anyway, there will be enough grain and oilseeds to meet domestic needs in Ukraine and to export some of the harvest. Most importantly, it would be necessary to restore exports to the previous amounts and to make sure that agrarians can afford the next sowing," the UCAB said.

Ukraine had a record harvest of 106 million tonnes of grain, legumes and oilseeds in 2021, including 84 million tonnes of grain and legumes and 22.6 million tonnes of oilseeds.

In 2020, the harvest of grain, legumes and oilseeds stood at 84 million tonnes, including 65.5 million tonnes of grain and legumes and 18.5 million tonnes of oilseeds.