Ukraine sows 11 percent of spring grains area

Farmers in Ukraine have sown 11 percent, or 273,000 hectares, of the country's planned spring grains area since the season began on March 8, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. Ukraine, the world's third-largest grain exporter, expects to sow 7.2 million hectares of spring grains this year, up from 7 million hectares last year.
Its overall grains harvest this year, however, is unlikely to match last year's record level, which was helped by favourable weather. Since March 8 farmers have sown 178,000 hectares of spring barley, 81,000 hectares of peas, 8,000 hectares of oats and 6,000 hectares of spring wheat, the ministry said in a statement.
The spring season started later than last year when it began on February 24 due to favourable weather. This year's spring crop will include 2.4 million hectares of early spring grains-barley, spring wheat, oats and peas. Ukraine said the area sown for spring and winter grains would total 14.4 million hectares this year. It has not forecast its total grains harvest this year but analysts expect it to be lower than last year's record 66 million tonnes, which included 28 million tonnes of maize and 26 million tonnes of wheat. Traders have said that this year's wheat harvest could be lower because of a rise in winter losses and smaller yields.