Ukrainian agrarian giant Epicenter Agro has announced a strategic turn in its agricultural policy for the 2024 season, deciding to abandon corn cultivation in favor of further development of oilseeds for further processing. This was announced by Maxim Chukhno, Head of the company's planning and economic department.

Based on a review of economic parameters, previous years' product balances and crop margins, the company made this strategic decision to optimize crop rotation. The crop structure will include 36% sunflower, 23% soybeans (a record 40 thou hectares), 10% rapeseed and 25% winter wheat as a precursor for rapeseed next season.

In the harvest season 2022/2023, the company exceeded the plans for the yield of major crops: winter wheat by 19%, winter rapeseed by 24%, corn by 3%, sunflower by 9% and soybeans by 7%.

It is noted that in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, the crop rotation structure was stable, with a predominance of corn (45%), sunflower (30%), wheat (10%), and rapeseed (5%). Since 2021/22, there has been an increase in the oilseeds group, with sunflower by 40% and corn by 41%.

In 2022/23, soybeans were added to the main crops by 5% of the area, sunflower accounted for 31% of the crops, corn - 38%, rapeseed - 7%, and wheat - 14%. This demonstrates the gradual development of the group's strategy aimed at developing oilseeds and optimizing their profitability compared to corn.

This strategic decision reflects not only economic efficiency, but also a response to the demand for oilseeds on the global market, establishing Epicenter Agro as a key player in the agricultural production industry.