News From Agro-Industrial Complex

Ukraine’s agriculture ministry reported Monday that winter grains were in good condition on 39.8% of the total winter grain-planted area for the 2010 harvest, with winter grains in satisfactory condition on 43.5% of the total planted area and winter grains in poor condition on 16.7% of the total planted area.

According to prognostic data from regions, as of November 12, grain sowings in Ukraine for the harvest-2010 are expected at the level of 15.9 mln ha, which corresponds to the indices of the current year, declared Yuri Melnik, the Minister of Agrarian Policy. Winter grain sowings will occupy 8.1 mln ha, spring – 7.8 mln ha.

Grain stocks in Ukraine on Nov. 1 totaled 22.4 million metric tons, 9% less than on Nov. 1 2008, the state statistics committee reported Tuesday. The stocks included 11.1 million tons of wheat, 5.3 million tons of barley, 3.6 million tons of corn and 800,000 tons of rye.

In own November report, the authoritative agency F.O. Licht (Germany) again increased the forecast of the world production of three main grains (wheat, maize and barley) in 2009/10 MY. At the same time, according to Keith Flury, the leading grain expert of the agency, in the current season grain production volumes will not become a little lower compared to the level of 2008/09 MY.