The gross harvest of sunflower in MY 2017/18 will reduce to 12.5 million tons

The gross harvest of sunflower seeds in Ukraine in 2017/18 MY will reduce compared to the previous season by 8% to 12.5 million tons.

This was informed by Stepan Kapshuk, General Director of Ukroliyaprom Association, during the conference Fat-and-Oil Industry-2017, reports APK-Inform.

"A decisive factor in reducing gross harvest will be a significant decrease from 2.24 t/ha to 2 t/ha in the yield of sunflower in comparison with last year's level. To some extent, the increase in sunflower areas by 2% to 6.08 million hectares will compensate the shortage. However, this factor will not be able to fully level out the effect of yield reduction," Stepan Kapshuk noted.

The reduce in the total harvest of soybeans by 13% to 4 million tons is expected in Ukraine. The yield will decrease from 2.31 t/ha to 2 t/ha.

Stepan Kapshuk added that in Ukraine it is possible to increase the production of rapeseed by 90% to 2.15 million tons.

"This increase will result from the oilseeds yield growth (from 2.57 t/ha to 2.76 t/ha), and more than a significant expansion of harvesting area — from 448.8 thousand hectares to 778 thousand hectares," summed up the General Director of Ukroliyaprom Association.

Reference: Ukraine in 2017 will produce 62 million tons of grain and leguminous crops.