KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine has harvested 93% of its expected 2022 grain crop as of Jan. 6, but area and production are down significantly from 2021 as war continues to take its toll on agriculture following Russia’s invasion, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the agriculture ministry.

Ukrainian farms have harvested 49.5 million tonnes of grain from 10.7 million hectares of crops, with the grain yield averaging 4.64 tonnes per hectare. The government has said Ukraine could harvest about 51 million tonnes of grain this year, down from a record 86 million tonnes in 2021, because of the loss of land to Russian forces and lower yields.

The ministry said farmers had completed the 2022 wheat and barley harvests, threshing 20.2 million tonnes and 5.8 million tonnes respectively. The total grain volume also included 22.1 million tonnes of corn, harvested from 81% of the expected area with a yield of 6.48 tonnes per hectare.

In 2021, Ukraine harvested 32.2 million tonnes of wheat and 9.4 million tonnes of barley. The ministry has said a fall in output in 2022 was caused by hostilities in the country’s eastern, northern and southern regions due to Russia’s invasion, which began on Feb. 24.

Ukraine sowed more than 6 million hectares of winter wheat for the 2022 harvest, but a large area was occupied after Russia’s invasion, and only 4.9 million hectares were harvested in Ukrainian-controlled territory. Farmers also harvested 10.5 million tonnes of sunflower seeds from 99% of the planted area, and 9 million tonnes of sugar beet from 99% of the area.