On Tuesday, July 2, at 12.30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference devoted to possible illegal seizure of harvest of Danish DFU Agro (subsidiary of Dan-Farm Ukraine LLC). Participants include: Director of DFU Agro LLC Vadym Shestakov, representatives of the Zhytomyr Regional Administration, representatives of the Danish Embassy in Ukraine, and representatives of leading business associations (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration of journalists requires press accreditation.
The Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry of Ukraine predicts that this year grain harvest in the country could reach 70.8 million tonnes compared with 70.1 million tonnes in 2018 under favorable conditions.
The ministry said that corn harvest could decrease by 7.5%, to 33.1 million tonnes, wheat harvest could increase 9.3%, to 26.9 million tonnes and barley – by 12.3%, to 8.2 million tonnes.
As reported, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its May report predicted grain harvest in Ukraine in 2019 at 72.1 million tonnes.
According to the USDA, wheat production in Ukraine this year may reach 29 million tonnes, corn – 33 million tonnes, barley – 9 million tonnes.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicts that grain harvest in Ukraine in 2019 will be 65.3 million tonnes, which is 5.6% lower than in 2018.
According to the May report, FAO forecasts an increase in wheat production in Ukraine in 2019 by 7.7%, to 26.5 million tonnes and a decrease in corn production by 19%, to 29 million tonnes.
Wheat exports in 2019/20 agricultural year (July-June) will decrease compared to the previous agri-year 0.3%, to 17 million tonnes, corn by 1.2%, to 21 million tonnes, and barley by 0.3%, 4.2 million tonnes.
According to the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food, Ukraine since the beginning of the 2018/2019 agri-year as of May 13, 2019 exported 43.77 million tonnes of grain and leguminous plants, which is 24.5% more than on the same date of the previous agri-year.
Grain exports in 2018/2019 agri-year, according to the estimates of the ministry, are projected to be 49 million tonnes.
The harvest and quality of sugar beets in 2019 will be lower than expected due to extra moisture of upper layers of soil and high air humidity caused by heavy rains, the press service of the Ukrtsukor national association of sugar producers has said.
According to the association, rains washed out part of the sugar beet crops, and high humidity contributes to the development of plant diseases. In addition, heavy rains are washing out nitrogen from the soil, as a result of which the growth and development of sugar beet deteriorates.
“Taking into account all the factors, we can predict that the sugar content and yield will be lower than the expected level, which, in turn, will affect the production of sugar. According to our forecasts, this year we will be able to get within 1.1-1.2 million tonnes of sugar. This volume can create a certain shortage in the market,” the association said.
As reported, according to the previous forecast of Ukrtsukor, the production of sugar was projected at the level of 1.3-1.4 million tonnes (a fall of 23-29% compared with 2018).
According to the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine, as of May 13, 2019, 217,400 hectares of sugar beet were sown (88.9% of the forecast).
The State Statistics Service of Ukraine has confirmed grain harvest in 2018 at 70 million tonnes, the press service of the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry of Ukraine has reported.
“The final report of the State Statistics Service on harvest in 2018 confirmed overcoming the historic for Ukraine grain production in weight after threshing – 70.057 million tonnes with a yield of 4.74 tonnes per hectare. In addition, the gross harvesting of corn, soybean and sunflower and the yield of sugar beet were the highest in the history,” Deputy Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Volodymyr Topchiy said.
In particular, Ukraine harvested 24.6 million tonnes of wheat with a yield of 3.73 tonnes per hectare, 35.8 million tonnes of corn with a yield of 7.84 tonnes per hectare, 4.5 million tonnes of soybeans with a yield of 2.58 tonnes per hectare, and 14.2 million tonnes of sunflower with a yield of 2.3 tonnes per hectare.
As reported, Ukraine since the beginning of the 2018/2019 agricultural year (July-June) as of March 20, 2019 exported 35.605 million tonnes of grain and leguminous plants, which is 20.8% more than on the same date of the previous agri-year.
According to the ministry, grain exports in 2018/2019 agri-year are projected to be 49 million tonnes (in 2017/2018 agri-year it was 39.4 million to tonnes).
ASKA insurance company (Kyiv) has paid UAH 1.635 million to an agricultural enterprise for the loss of apple harvest, the insurer has said in a press release.
According to the report, in July 2018, it rained with thunderstorms and hail in the territory of the insured gardens, a significant part of the apple harvest was damaged and lost.
“After the hail, a significant part of the apple harvest, which should be sold fresh, could only be handed over for processing. Another part of the fruit was completely destroyed. Deltafruit suffered significant losses,” Anton Ruban, the owner of the agricultural firm, said.
Three of the five insured sites were also affected. In the first two, due to hail, harvest quality deteriorated by 83-85%, and losses in both the quality and quantity were obtained in the third site.
“ASKA compensated for the loss of quality at the rate of UAH 5.6 per each kilogram of apples. The compensation cost for the lost amount is UAH 3.6 and UAH 9 per kilogram, respectively. These estimates are specified in the insurance contract and depend on the apple variety. On January 18, the client received 70% of the payment, the rest of the money was transferred in stages. We completed the settlement early February,” Corporate Insurance Director for ASKA Olena Shustur said.
ASKA said that this is the first case of such a large-scale payment in Ukraine related to damage to the harvest of fruit trees. The damage was caused by hail, secondary diseases due to hail, and most importantly, damage from the loss of commercial quality of fruits, which accounted for most of the damage, was also covered.
