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.
U.S. equipment is helping the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Odesa Port Authority protect and maintain the Black Sea Humanitarian Corridor, which has so far shipped approximately 850 ships and 52 million tons of grain and cargo that will feed the world and support Ukraine’s economy, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said.
“It’s great to be back in the thriving and courageous port city of Odesa, world-renowned for its rich cultural heritage. Even in the face of Russia’s daily attacks, Odesa stands firm on the Black Sea,” she said at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa.
The U.S. Ambassador said she regularly visits Odesa, meeting with local authorities, border guards, port workers and Odessans. These meetings allow her to form an idea of the problems facing the city and prove the determination of the residents to protect the city and its ports.
Ukraine in 2024-2025 marketing year (July-June) can export more than 60 million tons of grain and oilseed crops and products of their processing, which will allow it to remain among the world leaders of agricultural exports, Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyy said.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, Ukraine can collect grain crops of the new harvest at the level of about 56 million tons, of which wheat – 21 million tons, barley – about 5 million tons, corn – 28.5 million tons.
Total exports of cereals are forecast at 43 million tons, in particular wheat – 15 million tons, barley – 2.5 million tons, corn – about 25 million tons.
The ministry expects oilseeds production at the level of 22 million tons, in particular rapeseed – 4 million tons, sunflower – about 13 million tons. Ukraine may harvest 5 million tons of soybeans, which will be a record in the history of Ukraine.
Exports of oilseeds and oilseed products are expected to exceed 17 million tons.
“After two years of full-scale war, Ukraine managed to equalize the market balance of production and export of major crops. (…) The current marketing year 2023/2024 Ukraine will end with the final balances of agricultural products at the average level, as it was until 2022. In the next marketing year, agro-exports will be over 60 million tons. And this shows that Ukraine remains a guarantor of world food security”, – summarized Acting Minister of Agro-Politics.
On June 12, Kyiv hosted the business forum “Grain. Pigs. Meat – 2024”, which brought together representatives of agribusiness, processing, supply, finance and investment, government agencies, experts and bloggers. We are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for this opportunity!
We are grateful to the guests, participants, partners and sponsors of the Forum from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and other cities and towns of Ukraine who attended the business forum “Grain. Pigs. Meat – 2024” and joined the discussion of crucial issues that help businesses move from confrontation to cooperation, provide new opportunities for scaling and development of entire sectors of the Ukrainian economy!
The Forum highlighted the issues that hinder the development of the Grain – Pigs – Meat value chain, held active discussions, proposed solutions and provided effective tools.
Forum participants learned about:
– The importance of developing industries that create added value in Ukraine’s economy in times of war, with raw material exports blocked, expensive logistics, and a cheap price for the raw material itself and its minimal added value
– The possibility of replacing grain exports with exports of meat and meat products, which are high value-added goods.
– The state and prospects of the pig and meat industry in Ukraine during and after the war.
– The next stages of implementation of the New Pig Breeding of Ukraine program, which envisages a fourfold increase in the number of pigs, from 6 to 12 billion euros of added value.
– Possibility of eradicating ASF in Ukraine through vaccine prevention, lifting the stamping out in industrial pig production and unblocking pork exports.
– Establishment of an international consortium to support ASF control measures in Ukraine and Europe.
– Adaptation of pig production in Ukraine to a possible decline in pig prices due to overproduction in the absence of pork exports.
– Investment opportunities for the meat industry, pig production and farmers.
– Newest and digital technologies for pig production and meat processing.
– The Family Pig Farms social project, which will help war veterans start a successful pig farming business.
– Opportunities to obtain additional funding, grants, and investment.
– Training of highly qualified personnel for meat industry enterprises.
– Implementation of a mechanism for cooperation between producers and processors to protect profitability throughout the chain.
We call for cooperation for the development of Ukraine and believe in Ukrainians who, even in the most difficult times, do their best to rebuild our country. Only together we can make the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex stronger, more sustainable and competitive in the global market!
