Harvesting Underway In Ukraine

The combines are rolling in Ukraine, with 1 MMT of grain already cut, according to the president of Ukrainian agrarian confederation.

This season's grain harvest will total 39 MMT he says, almost 27% lower than the 53.3 MMT produced last season.

That estimate is a few million tonnes shy of the official Ministry forecast of 42-43 MMT.

The wheat harvest will come in at 18 MMT, according to the IGC, more than 30% down on a year ago when production was 25.9 MMT, meaning that the country will export 21% less this season at 7.75 MMT, according to UkrAgroConsult.

UkrAgroConsult peg barley production at 10.0 MMT, 19% down on last year's 12.3 MMT. Early reports suggest that yields are down as much as 30-40% in places on unfavourable weather in the past three months.

Rapeseed production in the Ukraine is seen down 48% this year to 1.5 MMT, from 2.9 MMT in 2008/09 according to Oil World.