Ukrainian wheat production could jump by 16.9% to 28.8 million tonnes this year, with favourable growing weather expected to result in record yields, French crop consultancy Agritel said.
Agritel's forecast, which followed a 17 - 21 June field tour in Ukraine, would also be almost 12% above the average production level of the past five years, it said on Friday.
Other analysts have also been anticipating a big wheat harvest this year in Ukraine, which like Russia is a major grain exporter via the Black Sea.
Agritel projected a record average wheat yield of 4.36 tonnes per hectare, up sharply from 3.82 last year, as well as a crop area of 6.61 million hectares, slightly above last year.
Optimal Sowing Conditions
Crops benefited from optimal sowing conditions last autumn, and then adequate moisture during the growing season due to winter snow and rainfall in April-May, it said in a note.
However, crop conditions were not so favourable in southeast Ukraine while heavy rain in the west may affect grain quality.
The bumper production volume should leave Ukraine with a big export surplus, Agritel said, putting potential Ukrainian wheat exports in the 2019/20 season at 19.5 million tonnes.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
