The area of winter crops in Ukraine has decreased sharply, but the area under oil crops is expected to increase

The war and weather conditions in 2022 made it difficult for domestic farmers to grow and sell agricultural crops, and prolonged rains in September prevented the planned areas from being sown with winter crops.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the area of winter grain crops for the 2023 harvest decreased by 71% compared to last year, from 7.7 to 4.5 million hectares, which is 94% of the forecast, in particular:

• wheat — up to 3.8 million hectares or 94% of the plan (6.5 million hectares last year);
• barley - up to 613 thousand hectares or 91% of the plan (1 million hectares last year);
• rye - up to 79.2 thousand hectares or 93% of the plan (159 thousand hectares last year).

At the same time, 1 million hectares or 104% of the forecast were sown with winter rapeseed, compared to 1.16 million hectares last year.

The monitoring of the Ukrhydrometeorological Center showed that at the beginning of December, the condition of 65% of crops was good or excellent, and another 30-35% will depend on weather conditions in winter. This corresponds to the statistical average and indicates that the weather did not critically affect the condition of crops. Experts believe that the overall condition of winter crops in Ukraine is much better than last year.

Research conducted on October 28-30 showed that the reserves of productive moisture in the arable layer of the soil on most areas under winter crops are optimal (21-40 mm). In some regions of the eastern, western and northern regions, the 20 cm layer of the soil is overmoistened (more than 40 mm of productive moisture), while in the southern and sometimes central regions, especially in Odesa, it is insufficiently moist (11-20 mm, sometimes less than 10 mm).

It is expected that in 2023/24 MR, against the background of a reduction in the area of sowing of winter crops, the area of sowing of oil crops will increase, and the area under corn will decrease due to high prices for fertilizers and drying costs. This is due to the fact that the cost of a ton of oilseeds is higher and the logistics costs per ton are lower, so farmers will be able to earn more per hectare, while this will not be critical for crop rotation. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, wheat production may also decrease, but it will double the needs of the domestic market.

"Wherever the situation allows, farmers will sow as much land as possible. And despite the fact that the next year will be very difficult, Ukraine will confidently pass it, growing a crop sufficient for its own consumption and export," the Ministry of Agrarian Policy assured.