Ukraine’s grain harvest already breaks record of 2016

“As of November 19, 66.4 million tonnes of grain crops were threshed from an area of 14.3 million hectares, or 96% of the forecast, with a yield of 46.5 centners per ha (41.8 centners per ha in 2017)," reads the report.

In addition, for the first time, record figures will be recorded for the gross yield and yield of soybeans and sunflower seeds. As of November 19, 13.8 million sunflower seeds were threshed from an area of 6.0 million hectares (99.8%) with a yield of 22.8 centners per ha (20.1 centners per ha in 2017). Also. 4.3 million tonnes of soybeans were gathered from an area of 1.7 million hectares (99%) with a yield of 25.7 centners per ha (19.2 centners per ha in 2017).

“Considering rather favorable weather conditions for late spring crops, our cautious forecasts about the record harvest in the history of Ukraine’s independence are starting to come true. As of today, when grain harvesting is still carried out, we have more than 66 million tonnes, which already exceeds the previous highest figure of 2016,” said First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Maksym Martyniuk.

According to him, the record-high grain crop in 2018 is due to the high yield of corn, which is also expected to reach a historical maximum of about 34.8 million tonnes.

As of today, Ukrainian farmers have gathered 31.3 million tonnes of corn from an area of 4.1 million hectares (90%) with a yield of 75.9 centners per ha (52.5 centners per ha in 2017), which is also the highest figure in the history of independent Ukraine.

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