Ukrainian wheat yields to rebound in 2013
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Although wheat yields in the Ukraine suffered a dramatic loss of one third in 2012 due to drought conditions, yields are projected to recover in 2013 to 19 million tonnes, according to Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, at a recent press conference.
So far, the wheat is looking good for the 2013 harvest, Prysyazhnyuk told reporters. He explained that farmers had planted 6.7 million hectares of winter wheat and 92 percent of sprouted crops were in good or satisfactory condition, All About Feed reported.
"The current situation with winter grains is better than last year and there are no grounds for concern," Prysyazhnyuk said, "As of today, we forecast a harvest of 19 million tonnes," compared to 15.5 million in 2012.
Although some analysts indicated Prysyazhnyuk’s estimates were lower than expected, yields are still expected to be better than 2012. Some estimates projected wheat yields to increase as much as 40 percent to 21 million tonnnes.
Favorable weather during the fall planting is mostly why the winter wheat yields are projected to increase this year. Farmers were able to get into the fields and plant while the wheat had good growing conditions to establish a good stand for the winter.
With global grain stocks tight after a year where drought damaged many yields in the world’s largest grain growing countries, news of Ukraine’s higher yields is good news for grain stocks.
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