Sunflower crops have been sown on 3.94 million hectares (80% of the 4.93 million hectares planned for 2022), corn on 4.17 million hectares (86% of 4.85 million hectares), spring barley on 927,500 hectares (92.6% of 1.02 million hectares), spring wheat on 188,600 hectares (99.4% of 189,600 hectares), oats on 156,800 hectares (95.8% of 163,600 hectares), and peas on 124,800 hectares (86% of 145,700 hectares) as of May 19, according to a statement published on the ministry website.
In addition, the areas sown with potatoes stand at 1.07 million hectares (90% of 1.19 million hectares), while soybeans are sown on 728,600 hectares (78.6% of 1.25 million hectares), sugar beet on 182,000 hectares (88% of 206,900 hectares), spring rapeseed on 28,400 hectares (95.3% of 29,800 hectares), millet on 32,100 hectares (51.5% of 62,300 hectares) and buckwheat on 37.400 hectares (46% of 81,600 hectares).
"The sowing is continuing in Ukraine. Spring wheat has been sown on almost 98% of the planned area," the ministry said.
Winter crops were sown on 7.7 million hectares in 2021, including 6.5 million hectares of wheat, one million hectares of barley, and 0.16 million hectares of rye.
As reported earlier, Ukraine will reduce the sowing of highly marginal crops (sunflower and corn) this year, while increasing the area under simpler crops that are more important for food security - peas, barley and oat.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 20 that Ukraine would sow crops on approximately 14.2 million hectares this year, which is 80% of 16.9 million hectares sown with crops last year.
Earlier, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food estimated the spring 2022 sowing at 13.44 million hectares, as against 16.92 million hectares in 2021.
Deputy chief of staff of the Ukrainian presidential office Rostyslav Shurma said that Ukraine was aiming at a 2022 harvest of at least 70% of the previous amounts.
Little bit of good news.
Don't know how they plan to ship the excess since the winter wheat crop is still stuck in Odessa.
