Ukraine has already harvested 36 million tonnes of grain this year / Photo from UNIAN
The Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry projects a gross yield of grain crops in Ukraine in 2015 at 59.1 million tonnes against 63.9 million tonnes harvested last year.
This year's grain harvest will be smaller compared to last year's yield due to the contraction of areas under spring crops and an insignificant decline in the crop yield of grain crops, the ministry said.
"The crop production dynamics are expected to slightly worsen by the end of the year due to the contraction of areas under spring crops (by 6.4% as of June 1, 2015) along with an insignificant decline in the crop yield of grain crops (by 0.6% as of August 1, 2015). The yield of all grain crops is projected at the 59.1 million tonnes against 63.9 million tonnes in 2014," the ministry said.
At the same time, the ministry forecasts that negative dynamics in livestock farming will remain relatively stable. The major cause is the absence of production in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone in eastern Ukraine. Another cause is low demand with low profitability in poultry production.
As of August 12, 2015, Ukraine had gathered 36 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops from about 10 million hectares.
The Agrarian Policy Ministry forecasts the gross grain harvest in the country in 2015 at 60 million tonnes. Grain exports in the current marketing year July 2015 through June 2016 are expected at up to 36 million tonnes.
UNIAN's memo. The State Statistics Service of Ukraine reported that Ukraine in 2014 harvested 63.8 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops (the data doesn't include Crimea, which is occupied by Russia). It was 2.4% more than in 2013 and a record over the country's independence.