Ukraine's MHP finishes spring planting, reduces grain crop area

MOSCOW. May 26 (Interfax) - MHP, one of Ukraine's largest agribusiness groups, has completed spring sowing, planting 352,500 hectares.

The group planted 72.5% of this area with grains and oil crops and the rest with niche and industrial crops, MHP reported on social media on Thursday. Compared to last year, MHP said it reduced its grain crop area while increasing the oil crop area.

"Although planting was difficult due to protracted April rains, we managed to keep to the agronomic schedule," MHP's agriculture director Sergei Dobrogorsky was quoted as saying in the statement.

MHP said earlier that it planned to plant virtually all of its land, 352,500 hectares in 12 regions of Ukraine, reducing the grain crop area while expanding the oil crop area. It planned to plant grains and oil crops on 255,500 hectares.

MHP is Ukraine's largest chicken producers and also makes processed meat products, grows grains and produces sunflower oil.