Ukraine sows 5.2 million hectares spring crops

Ukraine has sown 5.197 million hectares of spring crops as of April 6 compared with 935,000 at the same date in 2006, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. The ministry has said the country plans to sow a total of 18 million hectares in 2007.
The ministry said farms had sown 413,000 hectares to spring wheat, 3.995 million to spring barley, 366,000 to oats, 347,000 to peas and 247,600 to sugar beet. Agriculture officials have forecast the 2007-grain crop at 38 million tonnes compared with 34.25 million in 2006.