In 2024, Ukraine will be able to harvest 50-60 million tons of major crops, while grain exports will amount to 35-40 million tons, predicts Sergiy Feofilov, founder of UkrAgroConsult, an information and analytical company.
“The crop structure will be shaped by the profitability of a particular crop. Current trends show that priority will be given to oilseeds, soybeans are particularly promising, and sugar beet is the most promising crop,” UkrAgroConsult quoted him as saying.
According to the CEO of the agency, the key factors in agriculture in 2024 will be security, logistics, profitability and international cooperation.
“The process of Ukraine’s cooperation with the EU countries has significantly accelerated in the context of the war. It will also be extremely important to continue creating mechanisms that would further increase the benefits of cooperation for all participants. I would also like to emphasize the Ukrainian land market, which continues to develop despite the difficulties of wartime,” he said.
Mr. Feofiolov reminded that in 2023, the main source of financing for the agricultural sector was the Ukrainian farmer’s own resources. Limited logistics led to a decrease in producer margins. In 2022 and 2023, the profitability of agricultural enterprises declined sharply, so the financial reserves of the pre-war harvest years of 2020 and 2021 allowed them to survive.
The expert noted that the yields of most major crops were close to record highs not only due to the weather factor, but also with the help of Ukrainian specialists who quickly adapted technologies to military challenges. This allowed Ukraine to grow 22 million tons of wheat in 2023.
Mr. Feofilov also noted that UkrAgroConsult’s forecast of last year’s growing role of the processing sector has been confirmed. This was especially noticeable in the oilseed industry. Never before has the country processed so much rapeseed and soybeans,” he emphasized.
Among the main achievements of the Ukrainian agricultural sector in 2023, the CEO of UkrAgroConsult named the efficient operation of logistics corridors – both the grain corridor until mid-July and the new humanitarian corridor, which resumed operations in October 2023. Investments in new logistics chains have made it possible to increase the role of the Danube ports and export grain in transit through the port of Constanta. Efficient maritime and Danube logistics have reduced the load on both Danube ports and land crossings, opened access to Chinese and other Asian markets, and contributed to higher prices and farmers’ profits.
“These are the drivers that increase the optimism of our forecasts,” stated the head of UkrAgroConsult.
As of the end of December, Ukraine harvested 79.2 mln tonnes of the 2023 harvest, including 58.392 mln tonnes of grains and 20.764 mln tonnes of oilseeds.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the harvest of grains and pulses was carried out on the area of 10542 thou hectares with the yield of 55.4 c/ha.
Compared to the same date a year ago, the total harvest is 23.6% higher, or 15.02 million tons, including 19.7% higher, or 9.59 million tons, of grains and 18.5% higher, or 3.26 million tons, of oilseeds. At the same time, it should be taken into account that this year corn has been harvested from 86% of the area so far, while a year ago – from 78%.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the yields of the main crops in 2023 were as follows: wheat – 47.9 c/ha compared to 40.5 c/ha a year earlier, barley – 39.3 c/ha (34.7 c/ha), corn – 78.1 c/ha (64.6 c/ha), peas – 25.9 c/ha (22.8 c/ha) buckwheat – 14.8 c/ha (13.7 c/ha), millet – 22.7 c/ha (22.8 c/ha), sunflower – 23.9 c/ha (21.7 c/ha), soybeans – 26.5 c/ha (24.3 c/ha), and rapeseed – 28.7 c/ha (28.6 c/ha).
In addition, 11.879 million tons of sugar beet were harvested from 249.1 thousand hectares. Although its yield this year, unlike grains and oilseeds, is lower than last year – 477 c/ha compared to 501 c/ha, due to the expansion of the area by 38.3%, the harvest is 31.9% higher than last year and amounts to 11.879 million tons of sweet roots.
As reported, this season winter wheat plantings amounted to 4166 thou hectares (-834 thou hectares compared to the previous one), winter barley – 536 thou hectares (-255 thou hectares), and rapeseed – 1374 thou hectares (+110 thou hectares).
According to the newly revised forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 81.3 mln tons of grains and oilseeds, including 59.7 mln tons of grains and 21.6 mln tons of oilseeds.
As of the third week of December, agrarians of all regions of Ukraine harvested 78.7 mln tons of grains and oilseeds: 57.86 mln tons and 20.76 mln tons respectively.
As reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, grain and legumes were harvested on an area of 10 million 509 thousand hectares with a yield of 55.1 c/ha.
Compared to the same date a year ago, the total harvest is 23.6% higher, or 15.02 million tons, including 24.2% higher, or 11.26 million tons, of grains and 22.1% higher, or 3.76 million tons, of oilseeds. At the same time, it should be taken into account that this year corn has been harvested from 88% of the area, while a year ago – from 75%.
In addition, 11.86 mln tons of sugar beet were harvested from 248.6 thou hectares. Although its yield this year, unlike grains and oilseeds, is lower than last year, due to the expansion of the area by 38.3%, the harvest is 31.8% higher than last year.
As reported, this season’s winter wheat plantings amounted to 4166 thou hectares (-834 thou hectares compared to the previous one), winter barley – 536 thou hectares (-255 thou hectares), and rapeseed – 1374 thou hectares (+110 thou hectares).
According to the newly revised forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 81.3 mln tons of grains and oilseeds, including 59.7 mln tons of grains and 21.6 mln tons of oilseeds.
As of the end of November, agrarians of all regions of Ukraine harvested 78.3 mln tons of grains and oilseeds: 57.56 mln tons and 20.74 mln tons respectively.
As reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, grain and legumes were harvested on the area of 10 mln 471 thsd ha with the yield of 55.0 c/ha.
Compared to the same date a year ago, the total harvest is 32.9% higher, or 19.41 million tons, including 37.4% higher, or 15.66 million tons, of grains and 22.0% higher, or 3.74 million tons, of oilseeds. At the same time, it should be taken into account that this year corn has been harvested from almost 88% of the area, while a year ago – from 70%.
In addition, 11.80 mln tons of sugar beet were harvested from 248.0 thou hectares. And although its yield this year, unlike grains and oilseeds, is lower than last year, due to the expansion of the area by 38.1%, the yield is 31.1% higher than last year.
It is noted that only corn threshing will continue, while harvesting of all other crops has already been completed.
As reported, this season’s winter wheat plantings amounted to 4166 thousand hectares (-834 thousand hectares compared to the previous one), winter barley – 536 thousand hectares (-255 thousand hectares), and rapeseed – 1374 thousand hectares (+110 thousand hectares).
According to the newly revised forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 81.3 mln tons of grains and oilseeds, including 59.7 mln tons of grains and 21.6 mln tons of oilseeds.
As of the end of the first week of December, agrarians in all regions of Ukraine harvested 78 mln tonnes of grains and oilseeds: 57.7 mln tonnes and 20.72 mln tonnes respectively.
As reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, grain and legumes were harvested on the area of 10 mln 433 thsd ha with the yield of 54.7 c/ha.
Compared to the same date a year ago, the total harvest is 12.4% higher, or 8.6 million tons, including 32.3% higher, or 14.1 million tons, of grains and 22.5% higher, or 3.8 million tons, of oilseeds. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that this year corn has been harvested from almost 85% of the area, while a year ago – only 66%.
It is noted that ten regions of Ukraine have already completed the harvest. In other regions, the harvesting of corn, sunflower and sugar beets is nearing completion. The leaders in grain harvesting are the farmers of Vinnytsia region, who have harvested more than 5 million tons of grain. This is followed by Poltava and Cherkasy regions, which harvested over 4 million tons of grain each.
In addition, 11.57 million tons of sugar beet were harvested from 244.6 thousand hectares with a yield of 473 c/ha. Although this year’s yield, unlike grain and oilseeds, is lower than last year, due to the expansion of the area by 39.5%, the harvest is 33.7% higher than last year.
As reported, this season winter wheat plantings amounted to 4166 thou hectares (-834 thou hectares compared to the previous season), winter barley – 536 thou hectares (-255 thou hectares), and rapeseed – 1374 thou hectares (+110 thou hectares).
According to the adjusted forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 79.1 mln tons of grains and oilseeds, including 57.5 mln tons of grains and 21.6 mln tons of oilseeds.
Agrarians of all regions of Ukraine harvested 75.7 mln tons of grains and oilseeds – 55.53 mln tons and 20.703 mln tons respectively.
As reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, grain and legumes were harvested on the area of 10237 thou hectares with the yield of 53.8 c/ha.
It is also specified that by now, Ukraine has completed harvesting and threshing of barley from 1505 thousand hectares (101% of the plan), which yielded 5.909 million tons; wheat – 22.478 million tons from 4695 thousand hectares (101%); peas – 399.5 thousand tons from 154.4 thousand hectares (103%), as well as rapeseed – 4.005 million tons of seeds from 1396 thousand hectares (98%).
The harvest of millet is nearing completion, with 180 thou tons harvested from 79.5 thou hectares (95%), and buckwheat – 207.4 thou tons from 139.7 thou hectares (99%). At the same time, corn was harvested in the amount of 24.878 mln tons from 3325 thou hectares (82%).
In addition, other grains and pulses were harvested in the amount of 1002 thou tons from 339.9 thou hectares.
Ukraine continues harvesting oilseeds, which have been harvested from a total area of 8205.8 thou hectares. In particular, sunflower was harvested in the amount of 11.929 mln tonnes (11.586 mln tonnes a week earlier) from the area of 5,009.4 mln hectares (99%), soybeans – 4.769 mln tonnes (4.750 mln tonnes) from 1,800 mln hectares (99%).
Sugar beet was harvested from 236.3 thou hectares (227.1 thou hectares a week earlier), which is 95% of the planned area. The harvest amounted to 11.83 million tons.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy also monitors information on crop yields, which amounted to 47.9 c/ha for wheat, 39.3 c/ha for barley, 25.9 c/ha for peas, 22.6 c/ha for millet, and 14.8 c/ha for buckwheat. The yield of corn is 74.8 c/ha, rapeseed – 28.7 c/ha, soybeans – 26.5 c/ha, sunflower – 23.8 c/ha. The yield of sugar beet is 469.1 c/ha.
According to the Ministry, farmers in Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions have completed harvesting all crops.
As reported, this season’s winter wheat plantings amounted to 4166 thousand hectares (-834 thousand hectares compared to the previous season), winter barley – 536 thousand hectares (-255 thousand hectares), and rapeseed – 1374 thousand hectares (+110 thousand hectares).
According to the adjusted forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 79.1 mln tons of grains and oilseeds, including the following volumes: wheat – 21.7 mln tons, barley – 5.7 mln tons and corn – 28.5 mln tons. Gross production of oilseeds will reach 21.6 million tons, including 13 million tons of sunflower, 4 million tons of rapeseed, and 4.6 million tons of soybeans. The sugar beet harvest is forecast at 13.7 million tons.
