The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has updated its forecast for gross production of grains and oilseeds and expects Ukrainian farmers to harvest up to 76.7 million tons in 2023.
This year Ukrainian agrarians can harvest about 56.4 million tons of grain and 20.3 million tons of oilseeds.
In early spring, the total gross harvest for the current year was forecast at 63.5 million tons, down by 13% YoY. In June, after the start of the harvest, the forecast was raised to 68 million tons, down by 7%. Now, thanks to favorable weather conditions, the ministry is revising its forecast upwards.
Although the total area under spring and winter crops this year was 980,000 hectares less than last year and amounted to 10.9 million hectares, weather conditions contributed to almost record grain yields (up to 51.8 hundredweights/ha), which would significantly increase the harvest.
According to preliminary estimates of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2023, farmers will be able to harvest 20.9 million tons of wheat, 5.8 million tons of barley and 28.1 million tons of corn.
Gross production of oilseeds will reach 20.3 million tons. The sunflower harvest is forecast at 12 million tons. Farmers are expected to harvest a record amount of rapeseed (4 million tons). The level of soybean production is 4.2 million tons.
Also, this year farmers will harvest 13.7 million tons of sugar beet. (Ukrinform/Business World Magazine)