In the marketing year 2023-2024 (MY, June-July), Ukrzaliznytsia JSC (UZ) transported 35.122 million tons of grain cargo, the best figure in the last four years, said Valery Tkachev, Deputy Director of Transportation Technology and Commercial Work Department of UZ, at a meeting with agricultural market participants on Thursday.
According to him, in June, 3.48 million tons of grain were transported by rail in all directions, a third more than in the same month of 2023.
In the first six months of this year, UZ transported 21.85 million tons of grain, which is 30% more than in the same period last year.
At the same time, 2.558 million tons of grain were transported in export traffic in June, and 18.731 million tons in six months, which is 43% more than a year earlier.
Export volumes of oil and oilcake and meals also increased. Thus, in January-June 2014, 954 thousand tons of vegetable oil were transported by rail, which is 30% more than last year. During the same period, the transportation of oilcake and meal increased by 19% to 1.41 million tons, Tkachev summarized.
Agrarians in sixteen regions of Ukraine have started harvesting early grains and legumes and have threshed 721.4 thousand tons of grain from 209.8 thousand hectares, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.
According to the press service, 36.2 thousand tons of wheat were harvested from 36.2 thousand hectares with a yield of 31.2 c/ha, 545.7 thousand tons of barley from 145.8 thousand hectares with a yield of 37.4 c/ha, 56.3 thousand tons of peas from 25.9 thousand hectares with a yield of 21.7 c/ha.
In addition, seven regions have started harvesting rapeseed. They harvested 63.6 thou tons of rapeseed from 31.7 thou hectares.
At the same time, agrarians in Odesa region are leading in terms of threshing grain harvested from 85.7 thou hectares. Agrarians in Ternopil region are the leaders in terms of yield – 78.1 c/ha.
As of June 26, Ukraine exported 50.305 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2023-2024 marketing year (July-June), of which 3.373 mln tonnes were shipped in June, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the data of the State Customs Service.
According to the report, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 18.268 million tons of wheat (831 thousand tons in June), 2.475 million tons of barley (89 thousand tons), 1.6 thousand tons of rye, and 29.02 million tons of corn (2.44 million tons).
Total exports of Ukrainian flour are estimated at 97.3 thousand tons (4.8 thousand tons in June), including 91.9 thousand tons of wheat (4.7 thousand tons in June).
Astarta Agro Holding has started the harvesting campaign, during which it plans to harvest early grain crops from an area of 61 thousand hectares, including winter wheat from 49 thousand hectares, the company’s press service reported on Facebook.
“Today we started threshing rapeseed. The work started in Poltava region. It is an ultra-early date – ahead of the average long-term calendar indicators – but the harvesting dates are predictable. We also plan to start harvesting wheat at the end of this week. Companies in the western region plan to start harvesting no earlier than July 7-9. Currently, we see the biggest challenges in ensuring the continuity of all harvesting stages in the context of simultaneous harvesting of several crops due to constant air raids and power outages,” said Roman Pavlyk, Head of Crop Production at the agricultural holding.
The agroholding’s farmers have also completed harvesting winter peas from an area of 599 hectares. This is a new crop for Astarta with ultra-early harvesting dates.
“Astarta is a vertically integrated agro-industrial holding operating in eight regions of Ukraine. It comprises six sugar factories, agricultural enterprises with a land bank of 220 thousand hectares and dairy farms with 22 thousand cattle, an oil extraction plant in Globyno (Poltava region), seven elevators and a biogas complex.
In 2023, the agricultural holding reduced its net profit by 5.0% to EUR 61.9 million, and its EBITDA decreased by 6.1% to EUR 145.77 million, while revenue increased by 21.3% to EUR 618.93 million.
In the first quarter of 2024, Astarta reduced its net profit by 44.1% year-on-year to EUR9.02 million, while its consolidated revenue increased by 1.4% to EUR165.78 million.
Ukraine has already harvested more than 100 thousand tons of grain for the 2024 harvest, Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi said during a national telethon.
“As of the previous Thursday, there were 50 thousand tons. Today we can already talk about more than 100 thousand tons. The main crops that are being harvested are barley – both winter and partially spring – as well as peas and wheat,” he said.
According to the acting minister, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy forecasts the harvest of grains and legumes at 56 million tons this year.
“This is a preliminary forecast. Naturally, we will have a clearer figure later. But this is a good indicator given the fact that the country is, unfortunately, in the third year of a full-scale invasion,” Vysotsky emphasized.
He stated that grain crops have seen a reduction in production areas due to the change in crop rotation. At the same time, the area under oilseeds has been expanded.
“If we are talking about rapeseed, sunflower, soybeans, this year we expect to produce more than 20 million tons, possibly even up to 22 million tons,” the acting Minister said.
He added that oilseeds have lower yields per hectare, but their price is higher than grain. This will allow Ukrainian farmers to get harvest figures no less than in previous years.
“Ukrainian farmers are harvesting 80% of the agricultural area, as 18-20% of the farmland is temporarily under occupation. At the same time, all agricultural land under the control of Ukraine is fully sown,” the acting Minister of Agrarian Policy summarized.
As of June 21, 2023-2024 marketing year (July-June), Ukraine exported 49.54 million tons of grains and pulses, up 2.3% year-on-year, according to the website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
According to the report, in June, exports of grains and pulses amounted to 2.608 million tons, while a year earlier this figure was recorded at 3.087 million tons.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 18.123 mln tonnes of wheat (686 thsd tonnes in June), 2.461 mln tonnes of barley (75 thsd tonnes), 1.6 thsd tonnes of rye (0), and 28.416 mln tonnes of corn (1.366 mln tonnes).
Total exports of Ukrainian flour as of June 21 are estimated at 96.7 thousand tons, which is 35.9% less than a year earlier. In June, Ukraine supplied 4.2 thsd tonnes to foreign markets. At the same time, in 2023-2024 MY Ukraine exported 91.3 thsd tonnes of wheat flour, and in June – 4.1 thsd tonnes.
