KIEV, UKRAINE — Ukrainian corn producers exported 7.95 million tonnes of corn, an increase of 1.4 million tonnes from last year through Feb. 3, the Agrarian Ministry of Ukraine said on Feb. 5.
In 2012, Ukraine produced about 20 million tonnes of corn, with more than half ready to sell to foreign buyers, said Ukrainian Agrarian Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk. Major consumers of Ukrainian corn from January to November 2012 included Belgium, Egypt, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
In 2012, Ukraine began cooperation with China regarding the supply of corn. The eastern Asian nation plans to buy approximately 3 million tonnes of Ukrainian corn per year. To help boost Ukraine's corn production, in July 2012, China provided a $3 billion loan for Ukraine's agricultural sector. The loan is intended to finance the increase of the trade volume, raise productivity, and stimulate equipment modernization in the Ukrainian agricultural sector. With the money, Ukraine will be able to purchase crop-protection agents, seed and equipment from China, as well as invest in land cultivation and set up a plant for organic fertilizer processing and crop-protection agent production.
Currently, Ukraine has a 12.9% share of the global corn market. In 2011, Ukraine took the third spot in the global corn supplier rating, behind the U.S. and Argentina.
Besides its strong position on the global market of corn, Ukraine has an 18.5% share of the world barley market and a 4.5% share of the wheat market. Total grain export in 2012 reached over 16.25 million tonnes, including 6.04 million tonnes of wheat and 1.98 million tonnes of barley, Prysyazhnyuk said.
In 2012, Ukraine increased its agricultural export by 40%. Ukraine's sunflower oil export volume was the world's largest in 2011 and 2012.