Quality characteristics of wheat in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan - COTECNA

Source

APK-Inform

3119

 
In 2016, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan expect for the record harvest of grain crops. However, not grain harvest volumes determine competitive ability of grains, but its qualitative characteristics do. The Vice President - Area Manager on CIS Countries at COTECNA, Arina Korchmareva told APK-Inform about estimations of the quality and safety indices of the grain harvest in 2016 in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan.

 

 

 

 

 - In the current MY, Ukraine has already exported more than 5 mln tonnes of wheat. How would You estimate the quality of Ukrainian wheat for exports?

On the basis of available information about the new harvest, we can report that the qualitative indices of wheat in 2016 demonstrate high falling number compared with last year. The growth of such indicator in wheat harvest of the season-2016/17 is mainly influenced by climatic conditions.

It should be noted that for the optimum falling number for bakers varies within 250-300 sec. Taking into account the trend for reducing of the falling number in the process of grain storage, by mid-year the index will vary within the "optimum" range.

The protein content in the harvest-2016 mainly remained at the level of previous seasons. However, we have observed some fluctuations in the minimum and maximum values of protein and gluten content, compared with the DSTU standards. For example, it is worth noting that last year protein and gluten ratio totaled nearly 1:2, whereas in the current season - 1:1.8.

 

 

 

 

 

But taking into account the fact that the international standards (ISO) specify gluten washing in saline solution, which strengthens its gluten network during the analysis, the figures remain at the last year level, and satisfy all international requirements according to the statistically average values.

 

 

While monitoring the qualitative parameters of export grain shipments in the period of July-September of 2016 compared to last season, we specified the deficit of significant changes in quality parameters of wheat and adjustment of such parameters at basic indices.

 

 

- According to the State Service on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, there are detected many hazardous organisms at Ukrainian fields, which are under quarantine. Have You monitored fields before the harvesting campaign? What were the results of wheat areas condition?

To date, we can stress the adverse weather conditions in the beginning of the new season, which contributed to development of plant pests and microorganisms. The researches provided by Cotecna, indicate the presence of fusarium, smut and ergot pathogens in the new harvest volumes, which shares exceed the indices of 2015.

Taking into account the statistics data from the laboratory of Cotecna Ukraine, we can report that the grain lesion do not exceed the domestic and international standards specifications for ergot and fusarium, however according to the analysis of export shipments in the Ukrainian ports of Odessa and Yuzhny, and in some oblasts there were recorded the excess content of quarantine objects.

It should be noted that prevention of the reporting problems is more efficient and less expensive at the stage of the planting campaign and processing of fields (crop rotation, soil analysis, control and processing of crops at all stages of growth and development of plants), as opposed to solution of the issues after the harvesting campaign in terms of the presence of quarantine pests. We can note that many market participants face the problems of such harmful objects presence directly after the harvesting works.

 

- In the current year, there will be large grain harvests in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan. Would You highlight some features of the qualitative parameters in the abovementioned countries?

Wheat quality in the reporting countries depends on the most common varieties of grown wheat. Also, it is important to note the classification and consumption strategy of the varieties accepted in the countries. According to the available statistics data, to date we estimate the qualitative parameters of wheat in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan as quite similar each other.

According to our analysts, in the current season the weather conditions were somewhat unfavorable for agrarians of Northern Kazakhstan. Rains and high temperatures adversely affected the crop areas, in particular, natural weight and gluten content.

Traditionally, the average quality indicators of Kazakh wheat are higher than in Ukraine. However, in the season-2016/17 we have monitored almost similar quality characteristics on the basis of volumes and grain cargo lots in the CIS countries, tested in Cotecna laboratories. But protein content and kernel hardness still keep the difference between the wheat from Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia.

 

- How do You estimate the current organization of phytosanitary monitoring in the fields, and transfer of some functions in the sphere of phytosanitary control to private laboratories?

Appearance of the certified laboratories for phytosanitary control at the territory of Ukraine will enable the further development of comprehensive cooperation and quality of provided services in the direction.

We are glad to inform that we have formed the phytosanitary examination department on the basis of Cotecna laboratory. The laboratory has the ability to realize entomological, microbiological and herbology types of expertise, has the access to all quarantine lists and its updates in various countries-importers. The department keeps the collection of weed seeds herbarium and granary pests of Ukraine.

Specialists of Cotecna are always ready to advise and provide complete information to our customers on the quality issues and compliance of contractual requirements of foreign requirements.

 

Interviewed by Julia Shevchenko, APK-Inform Agency

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