Ukraine continues to import buckwheat at a fast pace

A substantial rise in buckwheat imports to Ukraine is observed this year. Ukrainian companies brought to the country over 15.1 KMT of buckwheat in July-April 2017/18 that is already 94% more than in the whole of MY 2016/17 (7.8 KMT). The lion’s share of this buckwheat (68%, or 10.2 KMT) came from Russia, while the rest was imported from Kazakhstan.

At the same time, buckwheat production in Ukraine hit a five-year high of 180 KMT in 2017. Production of buckwheat groats increases correspondingly. So, 19.4 KMT of buckwheat groats were produced in January-April 2018 that was up 24% on the year. Millers made a total 54.5 KMT of this product in 2017, or 1.3% more than in 2016.

It should be pointed out that this year’s buckwheat seeding is 66% the progress of last year. Farmers had planted just 64% of its projected area by June 7 (96 Th ha out of 151 Th ha). As this work is slowing down, Ukraine’s planted area of buckwheat may fell to a new low this year.

However, it is worth adding that buckwheat inventories in the country remain high due to a combination of rising imports and the 2017 crop. Storage and processing companies held 14.3 KMT of buckwheat as of May 1, or 129% more than on the same date last year.

 

IC UAC