In 2020/21 MY, Ukraine to harvest less than 93 mln tonnes of grains and oilseeds — UGA

The Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) forecasts the total crop of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine in 2020/21 MY at 92.6 mln tonnes (estimations of the crop in 2019/20 MY total 98.3 mln tonnes), and the exports — 55.6 mln tonnes (59.9 mln tonnes).

According to the Association, the slight decrease of the crop forecast for grains and oilseeds in 2020 does not change the upward trend of three recent years, when Ukraine harvested more than 90 mln tonnes of grains and oilseeds per year. In the medium term, the total crop of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine will reach 100 mln tonnes and will continue to grow.

The forecast for grains and oilseeds production for 2020 decreased, due to the reduction of planted areas under the grains and oilseeds (down almost 0.5 mln ha compared to the last year — to 25 mln ha), and rather warm weather conditions in the winter, which increases the risk of grain damaging by fungi and rodents, the UGA experts explained.

In particular, the UGA analysts expect wheat production in 2020/21 MY at 25.8 mln tonnes (in 2019/20 MY — 28.2 mln tonnes), barley — 7.96 mln tonnes (9 mln tonnes), and corn — 34.3 mln tonnes (35.2 mln tonnes), sunflower seed production to 14.3 mln tonnes (16.3 mln tonnes), and rapeseed — 3.15 mln tonnes (3.31 mln tonnes).