KIEV, UKRAINE — Ukraine’s grain harvest for 2015 is estimated at 57.4 million tonnes, a decrease of 10% compared to the record high of 63.9 million tonnes in 2014, APK-Inform Agency said on April 7.

A decrease in yield is the main reason for the reduction, said Rodion Rybchinskiy, head of Business Projects Division, APK-Inform

In the current season, a rather significant share of farmers plans to spend less on expensive fertilizers, which will result in lowering of the average yield. Only favorable weather conditions will be able to compensate for the lack of fertilizers, said Rybchinskiy. Thus, the average yield of grains and pulses will reach 3.97 tonnes per hectare, down 9% compared with the last year record of 4.37 tonnes per hectare.

Also, he said that the planted areas for grains will remain at the level of the previous season at 14.8 million hectares. At the same time, the planted areas under wheat will increase by 10%.