Ukraine has exceeded its 2007 spring grain area forecast, sowing 8.034 million hectares compared with an expected 7.949 million, a local agriculture agency said on Friday. APK-Inform quoted official data as showing Ukraine had sown 2.046 million hectares to maize, 226,000 to buckwheat and 74,000 to millet.
The country had already completed sowing barley, wheat and peas. Ukraine has also sown 3.113 million hectares to sunflower and 649,000 to sugar beet. The government has said Ukraine is likely to increase the 2007 grain harvest to 38 million tonnes from 34.25 million in 2006.