Ukraine completing sowing of summer crops, no major effect of frosts recorded - Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry

MOSCOW. May 17 (Interfax) - The spring sowing campaign in Ukraine is nearing completion, with 11.4 million hectares of farmland having been sown with summer crops, which makes over 90% of the target, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry.

"Oilseeds have been sown on 6.3 million hectares and grains and legumes on 5.1 million hectares. This makes over 90% of the planned areas under crops," the ministry said on Telegram on Friday.

Wheat has been sown on 249,000 hectares, barley on 781,600 hectares, peas on 162,100 hectares, oats on 166,700 hectares, millet on 43,100 hectares, buckwheat on 48,100 hectares, and corn on 3.57 million hectares, it said.

Over the past week alone, farmers have sown summer crops on 784,700 hectares.

In terms of particular crops, the Poltava region has sown corn on 488,900 hectares, wheat on 6,500 hectares, barley on 73,000 hectares, peas on 8,500 hectares, and oats on 2,300 hectares; the Vinnitsa region has sown corn on 292,000 hectares, wheat on 11,500 hectares, barley on 55,000 hectares, peas on 6,000 hectares, and oats on 1,100 hectares; the Kirovograd region has sown corn on 287,900 hectares, wheat on 8,800 hectares, barley on 46,100 hectares, peas on 16,500 hectares, and oats on 400 hectares; the Kiev region has sown corn on 221,000 hectares, wheat on 32,300 hectares, barley on 44,300 hectares, peas on 5,930 hectares, and oats on 6,500 hectares.

Ukrainian farmers have also sown sunflower on 4.605 million hectares, soybeans on 1.641 million hectares, and sugar beets on 250,100 hectares.

The Telegram post also quoted Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotsky as saying that frosts and freezing temperatures did not have a major negative effect on grain and oilseed crops sown by now. He admitted that weather anomalies somewhat affected rapeseed sown in eastern regions, and the scope of that effect has yet to be assessed. Frosts might also have had some negative influence on the horticultural sector, particularly stone fruits, although more accurate conclusions could be made no earlier than June, he said.

The Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry said in April that it expected the gross output of grain and oilseed crops in 2024 to reach 74 million tonnes, including 52.4 million tonnes of grain and 21.7 million tonnes of oilseeds. In particular, Ukrainian farmers are projected to harvest 19.2 million tonnes of wheat (against 22.2 million tonnes in 2023), 4.9 million tonnes of barley (5.7 million tonnes), 26.7 million tonnes of corn (30.5 million tonnes), 5.2 million tonnes of soybeans (4.7 million tonnes), 12.4 million tonnes of sunflower (12.9 million tonnes), and 4.1 million tonnes of rapeseed (4.7 million tonnes).