KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) — Ukrainian farmers, who were expected to start seeding the 2017 grain crop earlier this month, are expecting to plant 17.8 million acres of various grains, the agriculture ministry said late last month.
Last year, Ukraine, the world’s third-largest grain exporter, started spring seeding Feb. 24, taking advantage of favourable weather.
Farmers seeded 17.3 million acres of spring grain last year and the ministry said this year’s sowing area could rise to about 17.8 million acres.
It said the area under spring and winter grains would total 35.6 million acres this year.
Ukraine harvested a record 66 million tonnes of grain in 2016, including 28 million tonnes of corn and 26 million tonnes of wheat.
The ministry has said the grain exports could reach 41 million tonnes in the current 2016-17 season, which runs from July to June.
Ukraine has exported 29 million tonnes of grain so far.
