In a December report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) increased its forecast for corn exports from Ukraine in the 2022/2023 marketing year (MY, July-June) by 2 million tons from November data to 17.5 million tons from 15.5 million tons, while its harvest forecast was reduced by 4.5 million tons, to 27 million tons from 31.5 million tons.
“Corn production in Ukraine has fallen sharply with a reduction in both the area under the crop and its yield, as the ongoing war and record fall precipitation have delayed the harvest in key producing regions: Poltava, Sumy and Cherkassy oblasts,” according to the report, which was released on the Agriculture Department’s Web site Friday.
In this case, an estimate of domestic corn consumption in Ukraine in 2022/2023 MY was reduced by 3 million tons, from 9.5 million tons to 6.5 million tons.
Also in the December report, the agency increased the forecast of food wheat exports in Ukraine in 2022/2023 MY by 1.5 million tons, to 12.5 million tons from 11 million tons, and an estimate of its yield saved at 20.5 million tons, and domestic consumption decreased by 1 million tons, to 4.5 million tons from 5.5 million tons.
In turn, the forecast of feed grain exports in Ukraine in 2022/23 MY is increased by 2 million tons, to 19.93 million tons, and its production is reduced by 4 million tons, to 34.96 million tons.
As was reported, Ukrainian agrarians harvested 68.52 million tons of the main crops from the total area of 16.75 million hectares by December 9, with 2.2 million tons harvested from 0.47 million hectares, including corn – 17.2 million tons from 2.8 million hectares (66% of cultivated area).
Since the beginning of 2022/2023 MY and until December 2, Ukraine exported 18.08 million tons of cereals, including 9.66 million tons of corn (53.4% of total supplies), 6.87 million tons of wheat (38%) and 1.48 million tons of barley (8.1%).
Since the beginning of 2022/2023 MY and until December 2, 2022, Ukraine exported 6.87 million tons of wheat (2.12 times less than the same period a year earlier), 1.48 million tons of barley (3.35 times less), 12 thousand tons of rye (6.9 times less). At the same time, the rate of corn exports was higher than last year: 9.66 million tons were exported, which is 1.62 times more than in 2021/2022 MY on the same date, while the export of flour amounted to 53.2 thousand tons (+2.1%).
