Ukraine's state grain firm GPZKU plans to supply up to 4.0 million tonnes of maize to China in 2015 in line with a loan-for-grains deal signed in 2012, Latifundist agriculture news agency quoted GPZKU's chief executive as saying on Monday. GPZKU said last month maize (corn) exports to China could total 3.5 million tonnes.
"We have shipped more than 500,000 tonnes (of grain) so far this year. There is still time, but is unrealistic to ship 5 million tonnes. We will focus on total exports of 3.7-4 million tonnes," Borys Prykhodko was quoted as saying. A Ukrainian official said this year that the country was aiming to double its corn exports to China this year, from almost 1 million tonnes in 2014. Ukraine harvested a record 28.5 million tonnes of maize in 2014, but analysts forecast a decrease in the output this year due to a smaller sowing area.