In 2010-2011 period the trend of increasing of the sowing areas under winter grains, which is observed in Ukraine in recent years, changed the direction towards the negative side. The main reason - the state regulatory policy on grain exports.
Besides, in 2011 the country faced adverse weather conditions for sowing of winter grains. According to estimations of the HydroMeteorological Center, high aor temperatures and low rainfall led to drought in the soil. Previously, such unfavorable conditions for the sowing campaign were in 2004 only. Agrarians of several oblasts stopped own sowing works or even reduced winter crops sowing areas, due to inexpediency of realization of the further sowing works allowed after the deadline.
Thus, as a result of these factors, in the autumn 2011 the market faced the required prerequisites for reducing of the sowing areas under winter crops compared to last year. According to the forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the areas under winter grains for the harvest-2012 will total 8.1 mln ha against 8.3 mln ha in the autumn 2010.
In recent years the sowing areas of winter wheat in Ukraine varied within the range of 6.6-6.7 mln ha. In 2011, due to the influence of adverse weather conditions, the forecast of winter wheat sowing areas (according to the Ministry) lowered to the level of 6.56 mln ha as opposed to the previously announced 6.7 mln ha.
Relatively low profitability of barley production and limiting measures on exports of the crop from the country during recent two seasons led to reduction of the sowing areas to 1.2 mln ha after the record level of 1.6 mln ha in 2009. Besides, Ukraine showed such situation that agrarians abandon sowing barley in favor of maize, which will possibly become the trend.
Market participants will be able to receive a preliminary forecast of grains and oilseeds production in Ukraine in 2012 from analysts of APK-Inform at the the second international conference "AgroResurcy – 2012", to be be held on February 9 within frames of the international exhibition "InterAgro - 2012" (Kiev, exhibition center "KievExpoPlaza").
