July 19, 2001

Ukraine: Yield Potential High for 2001/02 Grains

The USDA estimates Ukraine total grain production [link to AYP table] for 2001/02 at 32.8 million tons, up from 24.5 million last year. Wheat production is estimated at 19.0 million tons, against last year’s pathetic 10.2 million, and barley output at 6.5 million tons, down slightly from 6.9 million in 2000/01. Corn production is forecast at 3.3 million tons, down 0.5 million from last year. The weather in Ukraine has been nearly as wet as during the soggy 1997 growing season, when winter wheat yield climbed to the highest level in the past five years. [insert precip graphs] The abundant precipitation will likely boost yield in most areas of the country, although heavy rainstorms and hail reportedly destroyed 20 percent of the grain crop in parts of western Ukraine and officials warn of an overall decrease in wheat and barley quality because of the wet June conditions. Harvest of winter grains is underway in the southern oblasts with preliminary yields up substantially from last year.

Landsat satellite imagery from southern Ukraine indicates a year-to-year increase in winter wheat area and a reduction in sunflower area, and generally good growing conditions during May and June. Summer crops, chiefly corn and sugar beets, are off to a good start in key growing areas of southern Ukraine. (View sample scenes of Odesa oblast in southern Ukraine from May 6, 2000; May 22, 2000; June 7, 2000; May 9, 2001; May 25, 2001; June 10, 2001.)

For more information, contact Mark Lindeman with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on (202) 690-0143.