Ukraine harvests 53.8 mln tonnes of grain, 20.3 mln tonnes of oilseed crops

MOSCOW. Nov 17 (Interfax) - Farmers from all regions of Ukraine continue to thresh late crops and have harvested 53.781 million tonnes of grain and 20.341 million tonnes of oil seed crops so far, Ukrainian media reported, citing an Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry's statement.

Grains and grain legumes were harvested from 10.1 million hectares yielding 53.2 centners/ha.

The barley harvest is ongoing, with 5.89 million tonnes gathered from 12.505 million ha, wheat from 22.409 million ha and peas - 398.2 tonnes from 154,400 ha.

The millet harvest is nearing completion, with 179,000 tonnes gathered from 79.2 million ha, and buckwheat - 207,100 tonnes from 139.11 million ha, corn - 23.707 million tonnes from 3.195 million ha and other crops - 991,000 tonnes from 337,400 ha.

Oilseed crops have been harvested from 8.1 million ha. The rapeseed harvest is over with 4.005 million tonnes gathered from 1.396 million ha. The sunflower harvest is ongoing with 11.586 million tonnes from 4.947 million ha and soybeans - 4.75 million tonnes from 1.793 million ha.

Farmers have harvested 10.816 million tonnes of sugar beet from 227,100 ha.

The Agrarian Policy Ministry forecast farmers would harvest 79.1 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds, including wheat - 21.7 million tonnes, barley - 5.7 million tonnes and corn - 28. 5 million tonnes. Gross production of oilseeds would reach 21.6 million tonnes with sunflower - 13 million tonnes, rapeseed - 4 million tonnes and soybeans - 4.6 million tonnes. The sugar beet harvest was forecast at 13.7 million tonnes.