Ukrainian farmers plan to develop the sown space of winter rapeseed crops for 2024 to a file 1.9 million hectares however could reduce the sown space of winter wheat, an Agriculture Ministry survey revealed on Monday.
The survey stated that 45% of farmers didn’t plan to cut back the winter sowing space whereas 38% would improve it and 14% wouldn’t sow winter crops, the ministry stated in an announcement.
“The overwhelming majority of farmers do not plan to significantly change their winter crops acreage compared to last season,” the ministry stated.
Earlier this month, Ukraine, going through difficulties in exporting its grain, requested farmers to report their sowing plans for 2024 to kind preliminary estimates for the 2024/25 season.
It stated 2,403 farmers and agricultural producers participated within the survey.
The ministry stated the composition of winter crops may change and producers may scale back the share of wheat and barley, however improve the world beneath winter rapeseed.
According to the survey, the winter barley space could lower most importantly – by 5.4%.
It stated the general winter crop space may rise by 0.5 million hectares, or 8%, in comparison with the earlier season.
“Rapeseed remains the key factor in the expansion of the sown areas, with the planted area under it expected to increase by almost 40% to a record 1.9 million hectares,” the ministry stated.
Ukraine, a serious world oilseed grower, sowed a complete of 1.4 million hectares of each spring and winter rapeseed crops for the 2023 harvest and farmers have already threshed 3.99 million metric tons of rapeseed thus far in 2023.
The nation historically exports most of its rapeseed output.
Ukraine has additionally accomplished the 2023 wheat harvest, 95% of which is winter wheat. Farmers harvested 21.9 million tons of wheat from 4.6 million hectares.
Analysts have stated Ukraine has already began the 2024 winter sowing.
A serious grain grower and exporter, Ukraine’s output is seen rising to round 56 million metric tons in 2023 from 53 million in 2022 because of a better yield.
Ukraine consumes solely about 17 million tons of grain per season and must export the rest however shipments have been affected by a blockade of its main seaports since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
A deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye which had allowed such exports collapsed final month as Russia walked away from it, saying its calls for to ease sanctions by itself grain and fertilizer exports had not been met.
Ukraine can at the moment export restricted volumes via small river ports on the Danube and through its western land border with the European Union.
That has compelled Ukrainian producers to regulate their sowing plans and change from grain crops to oilseeds, that are costlier however produce much less quantity.
Ukraine has already lowered its sowing space for corn in favor of sunflowers.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
