Active harvesting of early crops continues in Ukraine, and 75% of the crop has already been harvested

Active harvesting of early crops continues in Ukraine, and 75% of the crop has already been harvested. The total volume of harvest is expected at the level of 27 million tons of grain and 4 million tons of rapeseed.

This was announced by acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi, Interfax-Ukraine writes. According to him, 60-65% of the harvested crop is planned to be exported, which is approximately 18-20 million tons. Domestic consumption will traditionally be about 9-10 million tons.

The pace of harvesting this year significantly exceeds last year's figures. As of July 29, 2024, 20 million tons of early grains have already been harvested, compared to only 11 million tons at the same date last year. Vysotsky noted that thanks to active exports through sea ports and the Ukrainian grain corridor, it was possible to avoid the accumulation of excess grain stocks from previous years.

"Thanks to the ability to actively export by sea and the Ukrainian grain corridor, we actually do not have a surplus of transitional stocks from previous years. The surpluses were exported. The harvest plan coincides with the volume of elevator capacities within the state," said Vysotskyi.

However, weather conditions were uneven in different regions of the country. In the southeast, there was a lack of precipitation, which may lead to some shortfall in the harvest. On the other hand, in the north, west and some central regions, there was sufficient rainfall, which ensured high yields.

Vysotskyi also drew attention to the risks associated with grain storage in the front-line territories. The Ministry appealed to international partners to provide assistance in the form of temporary grain storage facilities. This is necessary to ensure the safety of the harvested crop and avoid losses due to hostilities.

Overall, this year's harvest looks promising, with strong harvest figures and active exports. However, the issue of preserving the harvested grain remains important, especially in the conditions of martial law and in the front-line territories.