"Bread basket" of Europe is still the world’s third largest grain exporter

"Bread basket" of Europe is still the third largest grain exporter

Ukraine is still the world’s third largest grain exporter, now ranking only after the United States and the European Union, leaving previous grain export giants Russia and Canada behind. 

According to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine harvested a total of 53.3 million tonnes of grain in 2008, and 28.5 million tonnes for 2009.

This came after the news that Ukraine exported 382,100 tonnes of barley in December 2009 (an 8% increase compared to the previous month); while wheat export in December 2009 also grew by 10% compared to November 2009.

Winter crops sowing areas for 2010 also up by 2.1%

Between January and November of 2009, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine produced a total of 655,600 tonnes of grains, a 7.6% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

Wheat sale volumes went up by 17.6%, barley rose by 8.6%, and rye saw a 0.4% increase, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

In currency terms, US$525.4 million-worth (4.2 billion UAH) of agricultural products was produced.

Crimea is an agricultural hotspot in Ukraine, possessing fertile soil, well-trained labour, and processing branch capacities.

This came after the news that the sowing areas of grains and green feed for the harvest in 2010 have been increased by 2.1% compared to the index of 2008, currently standing at 646,900 hectares. 

Grain harvest for 2009 may have already exceeded forecasted numbers

Following a record harvest in the last marketing year, Ukraine welcomed another bumper harvest in 2009, with grain harvest in 2010 poised for a further upgrade.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told a press conference that Ukraine "faced poor weather in 2009 but have already harvested 48.5 million tonnes of grain" by the end of the year.

The number forecasted by Ukraine’s Agrarian Policy Ministry was 48 million tonnes following a series of upward revisions over 2009.

Meanwhile, UkrAgroConsult is estimating the 2010 wheat harvest to come in at 18.7 million tonnes; whereas the Association Ukrainian Agribusiness Club is forecasting just 13-14 million tonnes of wheat harvest.

Primary estimation by UkrAgroConsult was due to the fact that dry conditions for autumn plantings did not cause soil temperatures to sink to critical values, and winter crops were not damaged by the frost on most areas.

Source: www.english.pravda.ru/main/18/88/354/14729_ukraine.html

Ukraine’s incorporation into the EU would be a more positive factor than NATO expansion, Russia President Vladimir Putin said at a press-conference after the talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in the Kremlin.

Vladimir Putin told Spanish journalists that if Ukraine is accepted to the EU, as it desires, Russia will be happy. “Indeed, Russia and Ukraine have close relations in economy and cooperate in the industrial sphere. So, incorporation of the Ukrainian economy into the EU economy is likely to have a positive result for Russia as well,” Vladimir Putin said.

The Russian president emphasized that probable incorporation of Ukraine into the European Union “does not directly concern Russia; while the Russian side has much to say on the issue.” Vladimir Putin added that Russia had always been negative towards NATO expansion, as it would not neutralize present-day menaces. At the same time, Russia always welcomes EU enlargement.

Russia’s membership in the European Union is not likely to happen within the nearest ten years that is why Russia has preferred other ways to develop international relations. First of all, Russia is making up a unified economic area with former Soviet republics (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan). Second, Russia is building a common economic area with the EU.

The Russian president believes that the common economic area with the European Union is profitable for both sides, which in its turn will improve Russia’s economic ties with Europe. That is why incorporation of new members into the European Union, namely Ukraine, will not spoil these plans but even promote them, Vladimir Putin thinks.