Ukraine's MHP begins harvesting early grains, threshes 500 hectares of winter barley and rapeseed

MOSCOW. July 12 (Interfax) - One of Ukraine's largest agricultural holdings, MHP, has started its harvesting campaign for early grain crops; about 500 hectares of winter barley and rapeseed have been threshed.

As reported by the Ukrainian media with reference to the press service of the agricultural holding, work is underway in the Dnepropetrovsk, Cherkassy and Kiev regions.

"The harvest started on the usual agronomic dates, despite the fact that spring sowing started late due to adverse weather conditions. During the harvest, harvesters equipped with elements of precision farming, namely yield mapping, are at work in the fields of MHP's crop-growing enterprises," Sergei Dobrogorsky, head of the holding's agricultural department, was quoted in a press release as saying.

The active phase of the harvest will take place in the second half of July, when mass harvesting of winter rape and wheat begin, and which occupy 74,000 hectares. The expected wheat yield of is more than 6 t/ha, while rapeseed is more than 3.8 t/ha.

In total this year the group's crop-growing divisions have sown 352,500 hectares, including 255,500 hectares of grain and oilseed crops, while the rest of the area is used for niche and industrial crops, the press release said.

MHP is the largest producer of chicken meat in Ukraine, and is also engaged in the production of cereals, sunflower oil, and meat processing products. The founder, majority shareholder and chairman of the board of the company is Ukrainian businessman Yuri Kosyuk.