News

India will aim to buy a record 26.3 million metric tons of wheat for federal grain stocks in the current marketing year that started on April 1 as it is heading for a bumper harvest, a top official with the state-run Food Corporation of India said Wednesday.

Iraq's state-run Grain Board has purchased 400,000 metric tons of wheat from Russia, the U.S. and Canada for delivery in May and June this year, the third large Iraqi wheat purchase this year, the head of the board said Wednesday.

Ukraine will increase the planted area for corn, soy and beet in this year's harvest, while the sunflower and barley planted area will be smaller, the agriculture ministry said Wednesday.

As of April 1 2010, winter grains sowings in Ukraine were damaged throughout 0.27 mln ha, or nearly 3.1% of the planted areas totaling 8.56 mln ha, informed the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine. At the same time, 14.6% of the general sowing areas, or 1.21 mln ha showed weak and thinned condition and 0.41 mln ha or 4.8% of agricultural crops areas are to be resowed.

It was also stated that 3.3 mln ha of winter grains sowings (39,9%) showed good condition indices, and 3.77 mln ha – satisfactory condition (45.5%).