In Ukraine, in 2024/25 marketing year (MY, July 2024 – June 2025), the harvest of seeds of major oilseeds will amount to 22.5 mln tonnes, up 3.8% compared to the previous season and higher than the forecast of 21.686 mln tonnes by the State Statistics Service, the industry association Ukroliyaprom said.
According to the industry association’s forecast, sunflower and soybean production is expected to grow this season, while the gross harvest of rapeseed may decline.
The largest increase in 2023/24 MY is expected for soybeans – 5.1 mln tonnes, up 7.5% compared to last year’s figure of 4.743 mln tonnes.
This growth is due to the increase in the planted area by 7.4% to 1.97 mln ha, while the oilseed yield will remain at the level of the previous season and amount to 25.9 c/ha, the experts explained.
According to the analysts’ forecast, the sunflower production in 2024 is expected to reach 13 mln tonnes, up 2% compared to 12.76 mln tonnes in the previous year. The yield of the oilseed will not change and will amount to 24.5 c/ha, while its area will expand to 5.3 mln hectares (+2%).
Ukroliyaprom forecasts the rapeseed harvest at 4.1 mln tonnes, which is 2% lower than in 2023/24 (4.184 mln tonnes). The projected decline in production will be due to a 4.3% decrease in oilseeds acreage to 1.37 mln ha, while rapeseed yield will remain at the level of last year and amount to 29.2 c/ha.
Ukraine in the 2023-2024 marketing year, ending June 30, 2024, exported 57.5 million tons of grains and oilseeds from a harvest of 82.8 million tons, with transitional stocks of about 7 million tons, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) said.
“Last season, the most important factor for Ukrainian grain exports was the opening of the Ukrainian Humanitarian Corridor, which allowed exports by sea from the deep-water ports of Odessa. The second most important factor was the introduction by Ukraine together with international partners of a working mechanism of insurance of ships entering Ukrainian ports, which reduced the cost of exporters and, accordingly, Ukrainian agricultural producers on export logistics”, – said the association.
According to UZA analysts with reference to the information of the State Customs Service, in monetary terms exports of grains and oilseeds in 2023/2024 MY amounted to $10.76 billion, and exports including products from them, including sunflower oil and other oils, cakes and meal, amounted to $17.86 billion.
Wheat exports totaled 18.4 million tons worth $3 billion, with production of about 22 million tons. The top 3 importing countries of Ukrainian wheat included Spain, which purchased 5.899 million tons, Egypt – 1.721 million tons, Indonesia – 1.515 million tons.
Barley Ukraine supplied abroad almost 2.5 million tons for $376 million, with production of 5.8 million tons. The most active buyers were China – 702 thousand tons, Indonesia – 460 thousand tons, Cyprus – 221 thousand tons.
Last season Ukraine exported 29.3 million tons of corn worth $4.7 billion, while last year’s production was 29.6 million tons. Its main buyers were Spain – 6.011 million tons, China – 4.832 million tons, Egypt – 3.874 million tons.
Nearly 3 million tons of soybeans were sold to other countries for the amount of $1.1 billion, with a harvest of 4.9 million tons. The top 3 buyers were Egypt – 956 thousand tons, Turkey – 674 thousand tons, Germany – 235 thousand tons.
Ukraine exported 57.5 mln tonnes of grains and oilseeds in 2023-2024 marketing year, which ended on June 30, 2024, out of the harvest of 82.8 mln tonnes, while the carry-over stocks amounted to about 7 mln tonnes, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) reported.
“Last season, the most important factor for the export of Ukrainian grain was the opening of the Ukrainian Humanitarian Corridor, which allowed exports by sea from the deep-water ports of Odesa region. The second most important factor was the introduction by Ukraine, together with international partners, of a working mechanism for insuring ships entering Ukrainian ports, which reduced the costs of exporters and, accordingly, Ukrainian agricultural producers for export logistics,” the association noted.
According to the UGA analysts, referring to the information of the State Customs Service, in monetary terms, the exports of grains and oilseeds in 2023/2024 MY amounted to $10.76 bln, and exports including products from them, including sunflower oil and other oils, cake and meal – $17.86 bln.
Wheat exports amounted to 18.4 million tons worth $3 billion, with production of about 22 million tons. The top 3 importing countries of Ukrainian wheat were Spain, which purchased 5.899 mln tons, Egypt – 1.721 mln tons, and Indonesia – 1.515 mln tons.
Ukraine exported almost 2.5 mln tons of barley for $376 mln, against the production of 5.8 mln tons. The most active buyers were China – 702 thousand tons, Indonesia – 460 thousand tons, and Cyprus – 221 thousand tons.
Last season, Ukraine exported 29.3 mln tons of corn worth $4.7 bln, compared to last year’s production of 29.6 mln tons. Its main buyers were Spain – 6.011 million tons, China – 4.832 million tons, and Egypt – 3.874 million tons.
Almost 3 mln tons of soybeans were sold to other countries for $1.1 bln, with a harvest of 4.9 mln tons. The top 3 buyers were Egypt – 956 thsd tonnes, Turkey – 674 thsd tonnes, and Germany – 235 thsd tonnes.
Ukraine exported 3.7 mln tons of rapeseed worth $1.4 bln, compared to last year’s production of 4.5 mln tons. The most active buyers were Germany – 1.226 mln tons, Romania – 609 thsd tonnes, and the Netherlands – 420 thsd tonnes.
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.
In 2023, Agrotrade harvested more than 255 thsd tonnes of grains and oilseeds, some of which showed record yields, the company’s press service reported on its Facebook page on Thursday.
“For the company, 2023 was one of the best years in terms of yields over the past five years. The harvest of corn, winter rapeseed and soybeans was particularly high. In addition, last year we switched to conventional mustard cultivation for the first time and immediately exceeded our threshing plans,” said Oleksandr Ovsyanyk, Director of the Agricultural Department, as quoted by the group’s press service.
He added that the company’s successful results were achieved, in particular, thanks to effective fertilizer and plant protection technologies, a high level of selection of varieties and hybrids, and favorable weather conditions.
According to the report, in 2023, the agricultural holding grew and harvested 84.8 thousand tons of corn, almost 70 thousand tons of wheat, 52.5 thousand tons of winter rape, 29.5 thousand tons of sunflower, 15.7 thousand tons of soybeans, 2.5 thousand tons of mustard and other crops.
As reported, in 2023, Agrotrade supplied about 350 thsd tonnes of grain to the global market. The share of own agricultural products amounted to 35% or 116 thsd tonnes, and third-party producers – 65% or 230 thsd tonnes.
The Agrotrade Group is a vertically integrated holding company with a full agro-industrial cycle (production, processing, storage and trade of agricultural products). The company cultivates over 70 thousand hectares of land in Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions. Its main crops are sunflower, corn, winter wheat, soybeans and rapeseed. It has its own network of elevators with a simultaneous storage capacity of 570 thousand tons.
The group also produces hybrid seeds of corn and sunflower, barley, and winter wheat. In 2014, a seed plant with a capacity of 20 thousand tons of seeds per year was built on the basis of Kolos seed farm (Kharkiv region). In 2018, Agrotrade launched its own brand Agroseeds on the market.
Vsevolod Kozhemiako is the founder and CEO of Agrotrade.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food forecasts in 2024 gross production of grain and oilseeds at the level of 74 million tons, of which about 52.4 million tons of cereals and 21.7 million tons of oilseeds.
As noted on the agency’s website, at the beginning of last year, the total gross harvest of grains and oilseeds for 2023 was also forecast to be almost 13% lower than the previous period, at 63.5 million tons, but weather conditions led to an increase in the harvest. Therefore, gross production in 2023 is about 82 million tons, of which cereals more than 60 million tons and oilseeds about 22 million tons.
“Forecasts for gross harvest figures are preliminary and will be adjusted during the year depending on circumstances, primarily weather conditions,” the Ministry of Agrarian Policy emphasized.
According to the forecast, in 2024, farmers will be able to harvest cereals in the following volumes: wheat – 19.2 million tons (22.2 million tons were harvested last year), barley – 4.9 million tons (5.7 million tons in 2023) and corn – 26.7 million tons (30.5 million tons).
Among oilseeds, soybeans are projected to increase. This crop is expected to produce 5.2 million tons, a year earlier 4.7 million tons were harvested. Sunflower production is forecast at 12.4 million tons versus 12.9 million tons, respectively. Rapeseed is planned to be harvested at 4.1 million tons, while last year’s crop was 4.7 million tons.
Sown areas of grain and leguminous crops are forecast at 10.6 million hectares, which is 395 thousand hectares less than in 2023. Of these, winter wheat is sown on 4.3 mln ha (-0.3 mln ha), spring wheat – 0.2 mln ha. (+0.2 thousand ha), winter barley – 0.47 million ha (-0.15 million ha).
The area of spring barley is forecasted at 0.94 million hectares (+0.06 million hectares), corn – 3.9 million hectares (-62 thousand hectares).
Among oilseeds, the area sown with soybeans is increasing. It is forecasted that it will be sown on the area of 2.2 million hectares. This is almost 400 thousand hectares more than last year. Sunflower will be sown almost as much as last year – 5.3 million hectares, rape – 1.5 million hectares, which is 0.1 million hectares less than last year.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy, based on the results of a survey conducted in the State Agrarian Register on the preparation of agricultural producers for the sowing campaign of spring crops for the harvest-2024, reported that 70% of respondents plan to increase the area under soybean by an average of 21% compared to 2023.
The survey also showed that during the spring sowing season Ukrainian agrarians will prioritize grain legumes, the sown areas under which will increase by 11%, and spring barley – by 7%. It is expected that sown areas under spring rape will increase by 24%, sugar beet – by 17%, and under corn will decrease by 9%. Sunflower areas may potentially decrease.
Earlier, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy allowed a reduction in 2024 sown areas under spring crops by 0.5 million hectares or 3.7% compared to last season.