Despite the war and climate challenges, Ukrainian farmers have managed to maintain the amount of land under vegetable production. However, the leadership in the production of many crops in Ukraine is gradually shifting from households to larger market players, SEEDSwrites .
This was stated by Taras Bashtannik, President of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association, during the conference VeggiFruits. Processing of vegetables and fruits.
Regarding the shortage of vegetables in Ukraine, which arose with the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, according to the expert, it was quickly replaced and there was no shortage in terms of area, it could only occur in terms of yield.
“This year, the abnormal heat could not but affect any vegetable crop, and we see this in potatoes. But we can predict that next year, about half of Ukraine will be “in potatoes”. And then vice versa. And so on in a circle,” Taras Bashtannik is convinced.
According to the expert, not only in Ukraine, but all over the world, there are always certain factors that affect the yield of a particular crop. However, no shortage will affect the work of processing companies.
“The quick reaction of importers to a certain deficit that fills the domestic market is more about the end consumer and retail. Processing companies do not like not having contracted volumes and planned prices,” says the President of the UPOA.
In addition, Taras Bashtannik drew attention to the changes that have occurred recently in Ukraine, which concern the production processes of many crops.
“Now it is becoming easier for state statistics to account for many things, because we see a redistribution of the production of many crops from households to small, medium and large enterprises that submit at least some statistics.
Previously, 95 plus, or rather 98-99% of the production of any position was produced by households,” reminded Taras Bashtannik.
As of November 29, farmers in all regions of Ukraine harvested 73.6 million tons of new crops from 19.5 million hectares, up from 72.9 million tons and 19.5 million hectares a week earlier.
As reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on Friday, 53.9 million tons (53.4 million tons) of grains and 19.7 million tons (19.5 million tons) of oilseeds have already been harvested.
The ministry said that wheat harvesting has been completed, with 22.4 million tons harvested from 4.9 million hectares at a yield of 45.3 c/ha, barley – 5.6 million tons from 1.4 million hectares at a yield of 39.3 c/ha, peas – 469 million tons from 212.3 thousand hectares at a yield of 22.1 c/ha, and rapeseed – 3.5 million tons from 1.2 million hectares at a yield of 27.8 c/ha.
Corn harvesting continues, with 24.2 million tons harvested from 3.8 million hectares (88% of the plan) at a yield of 64.3 c/ha, buckwheat – 131.7 thousand tons from 88.1 thousand hectares (99%) at a yield of 15 c/ha, millet – 161.3 thousand tons from 88.2 thousand hectares (97%) at a yield of 18.3 c/ha. Sunflower was harvested in the amount of 10.2 million tons from 4.9 million hectares (97%) at a yield of 21 c/ha, soybeans – 6 million tons from 2.6 million hectares (99%) at a yield of 23 c/ha.
Agrarians in 16 regions are harvesting sugar beets, they have been dug on an area of 253.4 thousand hectares (98%), 12.1 million tons of sweet roots have been dug at a yield of 477 c/ha.
At the same time, the leaders in grain harvesting are farmers in Odesa region who threshed 4.6 mln ha, Chernihiv region – 4.5 mln tons, and Poltava region – 4.2 mln tons.
In terms of yields, farmers in Khmelnytsky region are ahead with 77.4 c/ha, Chernihiv region – 70 c/ha, and Ternopil region – 68.7 c/ha.
At the same time, as of November 30 last year, 56.254 million tons of grains and pulses were harvested from 10.354 million hectares (95% of the forecast). The average yield as of that date was estimated at 54.3 c/ha.
Agrarians in all regions of Ukraine have already harvested 31.821 million tons of new crops from 7.946 million hectares, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.
According to the report, more than 28.5 million tons of grains and 3.4 million tons of oilseeds have already been harvested.
It is specified that 21.7 million tons of wheat have been harvested from 4.846 million hectares at a yield of 44.7 c/ha, barley – 5.5 million tons from 1397.4 thousand hectares at a yield of 39.2 c/ha, peas – 458.5 thousand tons from 207.6 thousand hectares at a yield of 22.1 c/ha, buckwheat – 2.4 thousand tons from 1.4 thousand hectares. tons from 1.6 thousand hectares at a yield of 14.4 c/ha. tons from 207.6 thousand hectares at a yield of 22.1 c/ha, buckwheat – 2.4 thousand tons from 1.6 thousand hectares at a yield of 14.4 c/ha, millet – 9.5 thousand tons from 5.32 c/ha at a yield of 17.9 c/ha.
Ukraine continues to harvest oilseeds. In particular, more than 3.4 mln tons of rapeseed have been harvested from 1227.6 thou hectares with a yield of 27.2 c/ha and 1 mln tons of soybeans from 0.7 thou hectares with a yield of 27.4 c/ha. In Mykolaiv region, the harvesting of sunflower has started, with 3.8 thou tons harvested from 4.2 thou hectares at a yield of 9 c/ha.
In terms of grain harvesting, agrarians in Odesa region are leading the way with 1075.7 thou hectares harvested. Khmelnytsky region is the leader in terms of yield, with 65.5 c/ha. Dnipropetrovs’k region started harvesting soybeans on 0.65 thou hectares with a yield of 15.2 c/ha. Farmers in Mykolaiv region have started harvesting sunflower.
Farmers in all regions of Ukraine have already harvested 15.7 million tons of new crops from 4.403 million hectares, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.
According to the press service, 10.3 million tons of wheat were harvested from 2.626 million hectares at a yield of 39.4 c/ha, 3.1 million tons of barley from 824.2 thousand hectares at a yield of 37.4 c/ha, 319.3 thousand tons of peas from 154.7 thousand hectares at a yield of 20.6 c/ha.
Ukraine also continues to harvest oilseeds. In particular, 1.8 mln tons of rapeseed have been harvested from 779.1 thou hectares with a yield of 23.5 c/ha and 0.3 thou tons of soybeans from 0.2 thou hectares with a yield of 19.3 c/ha.
Farmers of Kherson region started harvesting millet, which was harvested in the amount of 80 tons from 50 hectares.
At the same time, the TOP-3 in terms of grain harvesting rates includes farmers of Odesa region – 629.4 thou hectares, Dnipropetrovska – 544.2 thou hectares, Mykolaivska – 527.5 thou hectares. Ivano-Frankivsk region is the leader in terms of yield with 65.1 c/ha.
Farmers in all regions of Ukraine have already harvested 9.5 million tons of new crops from 2.785 million hectares, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.
According to the press service, 5.7 million tons of wheat were harvested from 1.508 million hectares at a yield of 33.8 c/ha, 2.4 million tons of barley from 642.3 thousand hectares at a yield of 38.9 c/ha, 260.9 thousand tons of peas from 127.3 thousand hectares at a yield of 20.3 c/ha.
Ukraine also continues harvesting oilseeds. In particular, 1.085 mln tons of rapeseed have been harvested from 499.6 thou hectares with a yield of 15.3 c/ha and 0.3 thou tons of soybeans from 0.2 thou hectares with a yield of 19.3 c/ha.
At the same time, the TOP-3 in terms of grain harvesting rates includes farmers of Mykolaiv region – 484.1 thou hectares, Odesa region – 464.5 thou hectares, and Dnipropetrovs’k region – 319.4 thou hectares.
Ivano-Frankivsk region is the leader in terms of yields with 66.6 c/ha.
In the Kherson region, farmers have started harvesting millet, with 50 hectares threshed and 50 tons of seeds harvested.
In 2024, Ukraine will be able to harvest 50-60 million tons of major crops, while grain exports will amount to 35-40 million tons, predicts Sergiy Feofilov, founder of UkrAgroConsult, an information and analytical company.
“The crop structure will be shaped by the profitability of a particular crop. Current trends show that priority will be given to oilseeds, soybeans are particularly promising, and sugar beet is the most promising crop,” UkrAgroConsult quoted him as saying.
According to the CEO of the agency, the key factors in agriculture in 2024 will be security, logistics, profitability and international cooperation.
“The process of Ukraine’s cooperation with the EU countries has significantly accelerated in the context of the war. It will also be extremely important to continue creating mechanisms that would further increase the benefits of cooperation for all participants. I would also like to emphasize the Ukrainian land market, which continues to develop despite the difficulties of wartime,” he said.
Mr. Feofiolov reminded that in 2023, the main source of financing for the agricultural sector was the Ukrainian farmer’s own resources. Limited logistics led to a decrease in producer margins. In 2022 and 2023, the profitability of agricultural enterprises declined sharply, so the financial reserves of the pre-war harvest years of 2020 and 2021 allowed them to survive.
The expert noted that the yields of most major crops were close to record highs not only due to the weather factor, but also with the help of Ukrainian specialists who quickly adapted technologies to military challenges. This allowed Ukraine to grow 22 million tons of wheat in 2023.
Mr. Feofilov also noted that UkrAgroConsult’s forecast of last year’s growing role of the processing sector has been confirmed. This was especially noticeable in the oilseed industry. Never before has the country processed so much rapeseed and soybeans,” he emphasized.
Among the main achievements of the Ukrainian agricultural sector in 2023, the CEO of UkrAgroConsult named the efficient operation of logistics corridors – both the grain corridor until mid-July and the new humanitarian corridor, which resumed operations in October 2023. Investments in new logistics chains have made it possible to increase the role of the Danube ports and export grain in transit through the port of Constanta. Efficient maritime and Danube logistics have reduced the load on both Danube ports and land crossings, opened access to Chinese and other Asian markets, and contributed to higher prices and farmers’ profits.
“These are the drivers that increase the optimism of our forecasts,” stated the head of UkrAgroConsult.
