Ukrainian farmers exported 4.86 million tonnes of grain from July 1, when the 2016-2017 marketing year started, to August 16, against 4.72 million tonnes recorded by the same date last year, according to head of the State Biosecurity and Consumer Protection Service Volodymyr Lapa.
”Grain exports as of August 16 totaled 4.864 million tonnes. By the same date last year, 4.717 million tonnes of grain had passed biosecurity procedures. Thus, we see a certain increase in exports,” Lapa said during a round table meeting held under the new UNIAN-AGRO project.
Wheat exports alone totaled 2.43 million tonnes, barley shipments abroad made up 1.9 million tonnes and those of maize were 444,000 tonnes.
Lapa says that his agency together with the International Finance Corporation works to improve methods of eliminating quarantine organisms in the fields so that Ukrainian grain could meet phytosanitary requirements of all countries.
”I`d say it`s a dream, but it is not unattainable,” he said.
As UNIAN reported, the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry reported that Ukraine exported a record high amount of grain in the 2015-2016 marketing year, having shipped 39.4 million tonnes. It was 13% up on the 2014-2015 marketing year.
The Ukrainian Grain Association forecasts that Ukraine may export 41 million tonnes of grain during the current marketing year. Grain production is projected at 63.5 million tonnes.
The ministry forecasts the yield of grain at no more than 63 million tonnes.
