Ukraine harvests 56.3 mln tonnes of grain, 20.7 mln tonnes of oilseed crops

MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - Farmers from all regions of Ukraine continue to thresh late grain crops and have harvested 56.25 million tonnes of grain and 20.27 million tonnes of oil seed crops so far, Ukrainian media reported, citing an Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry statement.

Grains and grain legumes have been harvested from 10.354 million hectares yielding 54.3 centners/ha.

The grain harvest is up 34.3% from the beginning of December last year and the oilseed harvest is 24.1% higher. Corn has been harvested from nearly 85% of the crop area, compared with just 60% a year ago.

The barley harvest is over, with 5.909 million tonnes gathered from 1.505 million ha. The wheat harvest is also complete, with 22.478 million tonnes from 22.478 million ha, peas - 399,500 tonnes from 154,400 ha, millet - 180,000 tonnes from 79.5 million ha, and buckwheat - 207,400 tonnes from 139,700 ha. The corn harvest is ongoing, with 26.079 million tonnes gathered from 3.441 million ha and other crops - 1.002 million tonnes from 340,100 ha.

Oilseed crops have been harvested from 8.2 million ha. The rapeseed harvest is over with 4.005 million tonnes gathered from 1.396 million ha. The sunflower harvest is ongoing with 11.936 million tonnes from 5.012 million ha and soybeans 4.778 million tonnes from 1.8 million ha.

Farmers have harvested 11.333 million tonnes of sugar beet from 242,100 ha. Yields for this crop were lower this year, unlike for grains and oilseeds, but the harvest was 31.8% bigger thanks to a 39.5% increase in the crop area.

The Agrarian Policy Ministry says in its adjusted forecast that farmers will harvest 57.5 million tonnes of grain and 21.6 million tonnes of oilseed crops in 2023.