Sunflower and corn sowing rates in Ukraine are slightly lower than last year's

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, as of May 16, 4.95 million hectares or 87% of the planned 5.7 million hectares had been sown with spring grain and legume crops in Ukraine, but falling temperatures and heavy rainfall in the last week delayed the sowing of corn and sunflower.

In particular, on the specified date the following were sown:

• wheat – 215.2 thousand hectares or 95% of the planned area (compared to 249 thousand hectares last year),
• barley – 743.1 thousand hectares or 96% (781.6 thousand hectares),
• peas – 210.9 thousand hectares or 97% (162.1 thousand hectares),
• oats – 158.3 thousand hectares or 97% (166.7 thousand hectares),
• corn – 3.5 million hectares or 87% (3.6 million hectares) ,
• buckwheat – 21.7 thousand hectares or 24% (16.8 thousand hectares),
• millet – 25.2 thousand hectares or 33% (30 thousand hectares),

Sowing of other late crops is also underway, including:

• sunflower – 3.9 million hectares or 77% of the planned (4.6 million hectares last year),
• soybeans – 1.73 million hectares or 72% (1.6 million hectares),
• sugar beets – 217.7 thousand hectares or 99% (250.1 thousand hectares).

The following regions became the leaders in terms of sowing rates:

• Poltava region: 533.4 thousand hectares (wheat – 4.5 thousand hectares, barley – 69.1 thousand hectares, peas – 9.6 thousand hectares, oats – 3.1 thousand hectares, corn – 441.9 thousand hectares);
• Chernihiv region: 435 thousand hectares (wheat – 12 thousand hectares, barley – 13 thousand hectares, peas – 9.4 thousand hectares, oats – 23.5 thousand hectares, corn – 368.3 thousand hectares);
• Vinnytsia region: 368.2 thousand hectares (wheat – 11.5 thousand hectares, barley – 53 thousand hectares, peas – 7 thousand hectares, oats – 1.1 thousand hectares, corn – 285.6 thousand hectares);
• Kirovohrad region: 362.6 thousand hectares (wheat – 3 thousand hectares, barley – 35.4 thousand hectares, peas – 18.7 thousand hectares, oats – 0.5 thousand hectares, corn – 294.8 thousand hectares);
• Kyiv region: 359.2 thousand hectares (wheat – 25 thousand hectares, barley – 40.4 thousand hectares, peas – 4.5 thousand hectares, oats – 5 thousand hectares, corn – 276 thousand hectares).

According to forecasts, this week temperatures will rise to normal values, and the intensity of precipitation will decrease, which will allow for the intensification of sowing of corn and sunflower in fairly favorable conditions.