Analyst UkrAgroConsult on Thursday cut its forecast of Ukraine's 2013 grain crop by 1.5 percent to 52.4 million tonnes due to a significant delay in spring grain sowing caused by snowfall across central, northern and western regions. "Late resumption of winter crops' vegetation and late sowing of spring crops may have a negative impact on average grain yield," UkrAgroConsult said in a statement.
In March, UkrAgroConsult expected favourable conditions of Ukrainian winter grain crops combined with excellent moisture content in soil would allow Ukraine to produce its largest harvest since gaining independence in 1991. The consultancy had said the former Soviet republic could harvest a total of 53.3 million tonnes of grain this year versus 42.1 million tonnes in 2012.
The volume of wheat harvest could reach 21.1 million tonnes, barley 8.3 million tonnes and maize 21.2 million tonnes, it said. Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry said this week farms in eastern and central regions, which were at risk of missing the optimal time for spring grain sowing, had resumed field work suspended two weeks ago due to snowfalls and heavy rains.
Farm Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk said farmers had sown a total of 701,000 hectares of spring grains as of April 2. Ukraine sowed 2.1 million hectares for spring grains as of April 9, 2012. Agrometeorologists have recommended farmers sow all early spring grains by mid-April.
But they also said western and northern regions would have to wait at least ten more days to start sowing as fields were covered by snow or too wet for machinery. Analysts say farmers will prefer to sow later grains such as maize instead of barley and other early grains.