Grain production in Ukraine to remain at 60 million tons

The dry weather conditions prevailing in most of the territory of Ukraine during the key period of vegetation of early grain crops have not reduced the forecast for grain production in 2018 which is estimated at 60 million tons, APK-Inform writes.

The start of the harvesting campaign confirmed the projected trends in early grain crops yield changes in 2018. At the same time, it should be noted that harvesting of winter wheat and barley began almost 2 weeks earlier than in the previous season.

Comparing the yield indicators in the current year with the indicators of the corresponding grain volume harvested in 2017, a 4% decrease in the yield of both winter wheat and barley is vivid.

"A short period of vegetation stipulated by late sowing and early ripening leads to the formation of a low-scale bulk of wheat and barley and low grain plumpness. At the same time, it is expected that the protein content in wheat may be slightly higher than in the previous season," analysts said.

In 2018 the bulk yield is projected at the following rates:

• wheat — 24.6 million tons;
• barley — 7.3 million tons;
• corn — 25.5 million.

Reference: as of June 22, 2018, Ukrainian agrarians threshed 1.1 million tons of new crop grains from 349 thou. hectares (with a productivity of 3.16 tons/ha).