Ukraine: Grain harvest forecast raised, spring barley may suffer if it does not rain next week

Ukraine raised this year’s grains harvest forecast to as much as 45 million metric tons from 42 million tons last month, Anatoliy Rozgon, head of the agriculture-markets department at the Agriculture Ministry, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg on April, 28.

“According to scientists’ calculations, the grain harvest will probably be between 42 million to 45 million tons,” Rozgon said, adding that may be adjusted in two weeks when the spring grain planting is complete. The crop condition is currently fine, he said.

Outbound grain shipments may jump to between 19 million and 20 million tons in the year starting July 1, he said.

Ukraine put quotas on exports of wheat, barley and corn in October. The government was trying to tame domestic food prices after Russia’s export ban pushed up world grain prices. Drought last summer crippled harvests in both countries.

Soil moisture improved for both winter and spring crops after rainfalls in the middle of April, Tetiana Adamenko, head of the agriculture department of the national Hydrometeorology Center, said.

About 56 percent of winter grains, which have higher yields, were in good condition and 38 percent were in satisfactory condition as of April 21, according to Agriculture Ministry data.

Spring grains, especially barley, which was planted a week later than usual due to cool weather, will need more moisture and their condition may worsen if it doesn’t rain in the first few days of May, Adamenko said.

29 April, 2011