The Ministry of Agrarian Policy told what will happen to the sowing season during the war
The total gross harvest of grains and legumes in the 2023 season may reach 44.3 million tons.
The projected area under grain and industrial crops for the harvest of 2023 in the territory controlled by Ukraine is 19.3 million hectares.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, these areas are actually comparable to the previous season – 19.8 million hectares.
At the same time, the area sown with winter crops for the 2023 harvest was 1 million hectares less than in the previous season, but spring crops are expected to increase by 556 thousand hectares.
In particular, the sown areas of grain and leguminous crops are projected at the level of 10,240 thousand hectares (1,409 thousand hectares less than in 2022). Of these, winter wheat – 4,166 thousand ha (- 834 thousand ha), spring wheat – 285 thousand ha (+ 67 thousand ha), winter barley – 536 thousand ha (- 255 thousand ha), spring barley – 1,041 thousand ha (+ 111 thousand ha), corn – 3,618 thousand ha (- 451 thousand ha).
At the same time, unlike grain crops, the sown areas under the main types of oilseeds are forecasted to increase: sunflower – 5,641 thousand ha (+ 476 thousand ha), rapeseed – 1,374 thousand ha (+ 110 thousand ha), soybean beans – 1,841 thousand ha (+ 334 thousand ha).
An increase in the area under sugar beet is also expected – 220 thousand hectares against 180 thousand hectares last season.
“A decrease in the area under grain crops, along with a projected decrease in average yields caused by rising prices for the main production factors, will affect crop volumes. Thus, the total gross harvest of grain and leguminous crops in the 2023 season may reach 44.3 million tons against the previous figure in 53.1 million tons,” the ministry said.
At the same time, the gross production of oilseeds is expected to increase to 19.2 million tons against 18.2 million tons of the previous year. Sunflower harvest is projected at 11.5 million tons (last year it was 11.1 million tons), rapeseed – 3.8 million tons (3.7 million tons), soybeans – 3.9 million tons (3.4 million tons). tons).
An increase in sugar beet production is also expected – 11.3 million tons (9.7 million tons).
Sowing during the war
As of November 2022, 4.4 million hectares or 94% of the forecast were sown. Wheat was sown on 3.8 million hectares, or 94%, barley – 613 thousand hectares, or 91%, rye – 79.2 thousand hectares, or 93%.
In January 2023, the sown area in Ukraine significantly decreased due to the war. The decrease in sown areas occurred due to hostilities or temporary occupation of territories.
As of January 20, 2023, Ukraine remained in the TOP-5 largest agricultural exporters in the world.
As of February 3, 2023, Ukraine called on the EU to help with the spring sowing.