Page 59 - UKRRptJan21

Despite the drops, Minister Petrashko said the 2020 harvest is “three times more than the needs of the domestic market, and also allows us to maintain a leading position in the export of agricultural products.” With overnight frosts freezing the ground in some parts of Ukraine, winter sowing has been completed on 8mn hectares.
The average crop yield declined 13.5% y/y to 4.3 t/ha. Farmers harvested 25.1 mmt of wheat (9.0% less y/y) with an average yield of 3.8 t/ha (9.2% decline y/y) in 2020. Total corn harvest dropped 15.3% y/y to 29.8 mmt with an average yield of 5.3 t/ha (21.3% less y/y) in 2020.
Also, farmers harvested 13.1 mmt of sunflower seed (10.4% less y/y) with an average yield of 2.0 t/ha (a 18.5% decline y/y). Soybean output decreased 24.1% y/y to 2.8 mmt with an average yield of 2.2 t/ha (8.3% lower y/y) in 2020. Rapeseed output decreased 16.6% y/y to 2.6 mmt with an average yield 2.4 t/ha (5.5% lower y/y) in 2020.
“The 2020 harvest results are lower due to unfavorable weather conditions in this harvest season. Also, the 2019 harvest season was a record high for the last 20 years, so the significant 2020 yield drop is a result of a high comparison basis. The agricultural sector won’t be a positive contributor to Ukraine’s GDP in 2020. Also, the lower harvest results will have had weak support of the 1H21 trade balance, but its influence will be partly offset by higher crop prices,” Andriy Perederey of Concorde Capital said in a note.
59​ UKRAINE Country Report​ January 2021 ​ ​www.intellinews.com