KIEV, UKRAINE — With its grain harvest nearly complete, Ukraine’s economy ministry is projecting a significant decline in production for the 2020-21 marketing year due to a severe drought across most parts of the country.
As of Nov. 16, Ukraine producers had harvested 58.3 million tonnes of grain from 14.4 million hectares, or 94% of the sown area, according to the ministry.
The ministry said the grain crop could fall to about 68 million tonnes in 2020, from a record 75 million tonnes in 2019.
It said farmers had harvested 22.7 million tonnes of corn from 82% of the sown area. Forecasters have projected a corn crop of between 26 million tonnes and 33 million tonnes, down from 35.9 million in 2019-20.
The ministry also said farmers had sown 5.9 million hectares of winter wheat for the 2021 grain harvest, equating to 97% of the expected area.
