Ukrainian farmers harvest 57.7 million tonnes of grain

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Ukrainian farmers are finishing the harvest of corn, sunflower, and sugar beet, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing a statement made by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.

A total of 57.7 million tonnes of grain crops and 20.72 million tonnes of oilseed crops were harvested as of December 8. The harvest of grain and leguminous crops was conducted on the area of 10.433 million hectares with the crop yield of 57.4 hundredweights per hectare.

Compared to the figures recorded on December 8, 2022, the harvest of grain crops is higher by 32.3% and oilseeds by 22.5% this year. At the same time, it must be taken into account than corn was harvested nearly from 85% of crop areas this year, whereas it was harvested from 66% at the same time last year.

A total of 11.57 million tonnes of sugar beet were harvested from 244,600 hectares. Although its yield, unlike grains and oilseeds, is lower this year compared to the previous one, its harvest is 33.7% ahead of the last year's one thanks to the expansion of crop areas by 39.5%.

According to the updated forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, farmers could harvest 57.5 million tonnes of grain and 21.6 million tonnes of oilseeds in 2023.