Analysts revised up Ukraine's 2007 grain crop forecast by 2.2 percent to 37.338 million tonnes, from the previous outlook of 36.537 million, due to a higher area to be harvested.
The country's leading agriculture constancy, UkrAgroConsult, said in a statement on Monday it had also increased Ukraine's wheat crop forecast by 0.9 percent, barley by 2.5 percent and maize by 9.7 percent. The government has said Ukraine is likely to harvest about 38 million tonnes of grain in 2007, compared with 34.25 million in 2006.
The constancy also said Ukraine's 2006/07-grain exports were expected to fall by 4.0 percent to 9.55 million tonnes, from the previous outlook of 9.95 million, due to lower sales of wheat and maize. UkrAgroConsult said wheat exports were likely to decline by 6.7 percent to 2.8 million tonnes from the previous estimate of 3.0 million. Maize sales could fall 12.5 percent to 1.4 million from 1.6 million.