KYIV. Sept 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry predicts that grain exports from Ukraine in 2016/17 agricultural year (July-June) will be 39.8 million tonnes.
“Grain supply for the year, taking into consideration carryover stocks, will be 70 million tonnes. Domestic consumption is 23.5 million tonnes. According to our assessments, the export potential is 39.8 million tonnes,” Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutoviy said at a government meeting on Thursday.
He said that today 38 million tonnes of grain has been harvested. 55% of 25.5 million tonnes of wheat is bread wheat.
Average yield is 49 centners per ha.
The minister sees a possibility of increasing it by 20% thanks to the increase of yield at small and medium-sized farms.
Kutoviy added that if the yield is increased by 20%, the grain harvest in the country could grow by 8-9 million tonnes.
The minister also said that buckwheat harvest in 2016 would be 174,000 tonnes with domestic demand of 160,000 tonnes.
He said that there would not be a shortage of buckwheat in Ukraine and growth of prices should be monitored at retail chains.
He added that Ukraine sowed 83% of targeted area with rapeseeds or 600,000 ha.
