The harvest of winter barley in 2021 will increase by 17.8% compared to 2020, to 3.9 million tonnes, and the gross harvest of this crop this year will be the highest since 2016, scientists from the Institute of Agrarian Economics (IAE).
As Director of the Institute, Academician Yuriy Lupenko, said on the Institute’s website on Tuesday, an increase in the gross harvest of winter barley is expected due to an increase in its yield by 9.3%, to 3.6 tonnes per ha, while the sown area will expand by 7.7%, to 77,000 hectares.
The scientists expect an increase in the harvest of winter wheat by 15.9%, soybeans by 12.9%, winter rye by 11.7%, and fruit and berry crops by 10.8% in 2021. Among spring grains and legumes, the largest growth is projected for peas (6%) and corn (4.4%).
The IAE predicts an increase in sunflower and grape production this year by 8.5% compared to 2020, sorghum – by 8.1%, sugar beet – by 2.3%. The lowest growth rate is expected for buckwheat – by 1.5%. However, the production of this crop increased significantly last year – by 17.8%.
The institute expects a decrease in the harvest of oats by 19.5%, millet by 17.7%, rice by 8.3%, rapeseed by 4%, potatoes by 3.9% in 2021.
The scientists of the institute also predict an increase in crop production in 2021 by 5.9% after a decline in 2020 by 12.3%, thanks to which Ukraine will receive the third largest harvest since 1991.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reviewed upwards its forecast for export of barley from Ukraine in the 2019/20 agricultural year (July-June) by 0.4 million tonnes compared with the August forecast, to 4.8 million tonnes, and barley harvest forecast – by 0.55 million tonnes, to 9.2 million tonnes.
According to the September report, published on the USDA website, the forecast for the production of Ukrainian wheat was revised downwards by 0.5 million tonnes, to 28.7 million tonnes, the forecast of export of wheat remained at 19.5 million.
USDA in September reviewed downwards the forecast for production of corn in Ukraine by 0.5 million tonnes, to 36 million tonnes, and the export forecast remained unchanged, being 30 million tonnes.
In general, the forecast for grain harvest in 2019/20 agri-year in Ukraine is reviewed downwards to 74.9 million tonnes (0.45 million tonnes less than in the August forecast), the export forecast was increased to 54.44 million tonnes (0.4 million tonnes more).
