KYIV: Around 98% of Ukrainian winter wheat crops and 100% of winter barley were in good condition, according to the latest data of the Ukrainian state weather centre.

The regrowth of crops, as sampled by meteorologists on February 20, showed weak and rare seedlings on 2% of winter wheat fields and 7% of winter rape areas, the centre said in a report published late on Friday.

Rare seedlings of winter wheat were registered mostly on fields in western Ukraine, it noted.

Ukraine's national agrarian academy said last week most winter grain crops are in good or satisfactory condition and only limited areas in central parts of the country were damaged by frost.

Ukraine's economy ministry has said it expects that the area under all grains could increase to 15.7 million hectares this year, up from 15.2 million hectares in 2020.

The favourable weather could help farmers to increase their grain crop to 75 million tonnes this year from 65.5 million tonnes in 2020.