Rapeseed shipment in 2018/19 hits 10-year high
In 2018/19, the gross rapeseed yield in Ukraine amounted to 2.8 million tons, of which exports stood at 2.5 million tons, 16 percent higher from the previous season. This indicator is the highest for the last 10 seasons, the APK-Inform consultancy reports.
The volume of oilseed processing also increased in the previous marketing year reaching 340 thousand tons, twice as much as in the previous two seasons. Thus, the share of rapeseed exports in gross yield was 88 percent, while the share of domestic processing was 12 percent.
Based on the APK-Inform forecasts, the rapeseed yield in 2019 may reach 2.8 t/ha, and the gross yield — 3.6 million t/ha. However, despite the record harvest, oil prices are expected to be supported by strong customer demand and deficits in other countries, especially in the EU.
"Rapeseed exports in 2019/20 may exceed 3 million tons and reach an absolute maximum. The processing potential is estimated at 500 thousand tons," the report says.
As of July 8th, all regions in Ukraine have started harvesting early grain and leguminous crops. Field works have been carried out on the area of 3.4 million hectares (35 percent) resulting in 11.3 million tons of harvested grain. At the reporting date, winter rapeseed yield stood at 1.1 million tons harvested on 519 thousand hectares or 40 percent of the forecast.
