Ukrainian agrarians seed spring crops on 4.32 mln hectares

MOSCOW. May 13 (Interfax) - Ukraine has sown spring grain and legumes on 4.32 million hectares, or 1.8 times more than the year before, Ukrainian media said, citing the press service for the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry.

According to the report, wheat has been sown on 244,900 hectares (240,700 hectares a week earlier), barley on 779,900 hectares (versus 775,700 hectares), peas on 161,600 hectares (versus 161,100 hectares), oats on 165,000 hectares (versus 159,900 hectares), millet on 28,500 hectares (versus 16,700 hectares), and buckwheat on 14,800 hectares.

Over the past week, farmers sowed spring crops on 912.900 hectares, versus 861,000 hectares in the previous week, and 492,900 the week before that. The sowing has been most intensive in the Chernigov region, where crops were sown on 157,900 hectares.

Agrarians sowed sunflower on 3,963.7 thousand hectares, soybeans on 1,201.3 thousand hectares, and sugar beets on 250,100 hectares.

According to the April forecast of the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry, the gross production of grains and oilseeds may reach 74 million tonnes in 2024, including 52.4 million tonnes of grains and 21.7 million tonnes of oilseeds.

In 2024, farmers will be able to harvest 19.2 million tonnes of wheat (22.2 million tonnes collected in 2023), 4.9 million tonnes of barley (5.7 million tonnes), 26.7 million tonnes of corn (30.5 million tonnes), 5.2 million tonnes of soybeans (4.7 million tonnes), 12.4 million tonnes of sunflower (12.9 million tonnes), and 4.1 million tonnes of rapeseed (4.7 million tonnes).

It is planned to sow 10.6 million hectares with grain and legumes in 2024, which is 395,000 hectares less than in 2023.