In Ukraine the corn harvest of 2022 remains unharvested from 15% of the area, so because of the wintering of part of the crop in the fields its quality will be much worse than in a more favorable 2021.
The head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Foodstuffs of Ukraine Mykola Solsky said at a briefing in Kiev on Monday that the final quality of corn harvested in 2022 will be judged in February, after the end of its harvesting.
“Day by day its (unharvested corn – IF-U) quality worsens. Of course, farmers, elevator operators and traders know how to work with it and level out the quality indicators. However, compared with last year (2021 – IF-U) the quality will be much worse. We will be able to say exactly how much worse at the end of February, because significant amounts of corn remain in the fields,” the minister said.
Solsky recalled that by the beginning of last year’s winter corn was not harvested from one-third of the area, while now this figure is about half as much, but it is still too much.
“We have a much worse crop this year because for a number of reasons we have entered a prolonged harvest, which in itself is quite difficult: severe temperature fluctuations prevent farmers from working and damage the quality of grain. I think the percentage of losses, depending on the farmer, can be from a few percent to 15%. It depends on the type of corn, moisture content, with which he “came in” at the beginning of the frost, the current temperature drop,” – the Minister explained.
Earlier Minagropolitiki reported that by January 13, Ukraine harvested a total of 23.5 million tons of corn from 3.6 million hectares, including 1.4 million tons of corn from 0.2 million hectares during the week of January 6-13. 15% of the planned areas are not harvested.
As reported, Ukraine in 2021 harvested a record crop of cereals, legumes and oilseeds at 106 million tons: 84 million tons of cereals and legumes (including 40 million tons of corn), and 22.6 million tons of oilseeds.
On Friday, 12 bulk carriers with corn, wheat, soybeans and sunflower meal left Ukrainian ports, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) reports.
“On January 13, twelve vessels left Ukrainian ports, they are transporting a total of 346,356 tonnes of grain and other food within the framework of the Black Sea grain initiative,” the report says.
Two bulk carriers Cuma (70,799 tonnes of corn) and Georgia T (61,252 tonnes of sunflower meal) are heading to China, two vessels Solar (37,205 tonnes of wheat) and Bosphorus King (25,000 tonnes of corn) are heading to Italy. Two more bulk carriers Rio (8,500 tonnes of wheat) and Umit G (4,300 tonnes of wheat) headed for Greece.
The vessel Papua will deliver 29,300 tonnes of soybeans to the Netherlands, the vessel Cape Scott – 28,000 tonnes of corn to Portugal, the vessel New Faith – 26,500 tonnes of corn to Spain.
In addition, two vessels Garnet (33,000 tonnes of corn) and Muzaffer Ana (11,500 tonnes of soybeans) went to Turkey. Lady Hatice will ship 11,000 tonnes of sunflower meal to Morocco.
Five vessels are also being sent to the ports of Ukraine, which passed through the humanitarian corridor on Friday.
The JCC reported that “79 applications for participation in the initiative were submitted.” Ten vessels are awaiting permission to enter the ports of Ukraine, 14 loaded vessels are awaiting departure to their destinations.
“As of January 13, the total tonnage of grain and other agricultural products exported from three Ukrainian ports is 17.3 million tonnes. A total of 1,286 vessels have been allowed to move at the moment: 639 to arrive at Ukrainian ports and 647 to exit them,” the JCC summed up.
Two dry cargo ships with more than 45,000 tons of wheat and corn left Ukrainian ports on Friday, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) reported.
“On January 5, two ships left Ukrainian ports, they are transporting a total of 45.3 thousand tons of grain and other food within the framework of the Black Sea grain initiative,” the report said.
Dry-cargo vessels Lady Divina (18.3 thousand tons of wheat) and Med Island (27 thousand tons of corn) had left to Italy.
Six dry cargo ships, which passed through the humanitarian corridor on January 6, are also on their way to the ports.
“As of January 6, the total tonnage of grain and other agricultural products exported from the three Ukrainian ports is 16,832,561 tons. A total of 1,250 vessels were allowed to move so far: 622 to arrive at Ukrainian ports and 628 to leave them,” the JCC summarized.
Three dry cargo vessels with corn and sunflower meal departed from Ukrainian ports on Wednesday, the Joint Coordinating Centre (JCC) has reported.
“On January 4, three ships left Ukrainian ports, carrying a total of 197,851 tonnes of grain and other food under the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” the JCC said.
Three bulk carriers – Presinge (70,514 tonnes of corn), Shen Yu 79 (64,667 tonnes of corn) and Mona KH (44,670 tonnes of corn and 18,000 sunflower meal) – are heading to China.
Seventy applications to join the Black Sea Grain Initiative have been submitted, the center said.
In addition, six ships are awaiting permission to enter the Ukrainian ports, 26 loaded dry cargo ships are waiting to sail to their destinations.
“As of January 4, the total tonnage of grain and other foodstuffs exported from the three Ukrainian ports is 16,630,516 tonnes. A total of 1,239 voyages (616 inbound and 616 outbound) have been enabled so far,” the JCC said.
Three bulkers loaded with corn, wheat and vegetable oil departed from Ukrainian ports on Sunday, the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) said.
“The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) reports that three vessels left Ukrainian ports today [December 18], carrying a total of 54,464 tonnes of grain and other food products under the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” the JCC said.
MV Lady Ayana (25,250 tonnes of corn) and MV Barbaros Hayrettin V (5,214 tonnes of vegetable oil) are destined for Italy. MV AK Halima is transporting 11,100 tonnes of wheat and 11,900 tonnes of corn to Spain.
“Grains that reach a destination may go through processing and be trans-shipped to other countries,” the JCC said.
Five ships, which transited the maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday, are headed to Ukrainian ports.
“As of 18 December, the total tonnage of grain and other foodstuffs exported from the three Ukrainian ports is 14,194,211 tonnes. A total of 1,128 voyages (565 inbound and 563 outbound) have been enabled so far,” the JCC said.
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%).
