REUTERS
Grain exports are projected at 42.5 million tonnes.
First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Maksym Martyniuk says the ministry has raised its forecast for the grain harvest in 2018 to 64 million tonnes, which may be the second-ever top result after a record 66 million tonnes harvested in 2016.
"Today I can forecast for sure that we will reach a gross grain harvest at 64 million tonnes, which is the second record high harvest in [independent Ukraine's history] after the last year's record at 66 million tonnes," the ministry's press service quoted Martyniuk as saying on October 22.
At the same time, grain exports are projected at 42.5 million tonnes, while achieving this target largely depends on the ability of the Ukrainian state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) to solve the existing logistical problems efficiently and ensure smooth grain supplies to seaports, the ministry emphasized.
Read alsoUkrainian farmers thresh over 50 mln tonnes of grain as of Oct 18
"If the railway copes with exports, currency revenues will be ensured in the agricultural sector," Martyniuk said.
In addition, he recalled that due to record weather turbulence in 2018, the future grain harvest raised serious concern. However, due to the late cereals yield, the overall result is expected to be the second in history.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry confirmed its forecast of grain yield in Ukraine in 2018 at 63.1 million tonnes.
Ukraine harvested 61.3 million tonnes of cereals and leguminous crops in 2017, which was 7.3% down from 2016, according to the State Statistics Service.
Ukrainian agrarians exported 39.4 million tonnes of grain in the 2017-2018 MY, according to preliminary data.