Plant growing of Ukraine (2007)

Gross output of plant growing in 2007 dropped by 9.4% compared to 2006, with falls of 10.8% on commercial farms and 8.5% on personal farms.

Agricultural crops for harvest of 2007 were sown at the area of 26.1 mn ha, in particular, commercial farms sown 18.6 mn ha (71%) and individual farms – 7.5 mn ha (29%). Total area under crop in 2007 expanded by 127 ths. ha (by 0.5%).

Grain crop in Ukraine in 2007 amounted to 29.3 mn tons and curtailed by 14.5% if compared with results of 2006 both because of harvest area reduction by 5.4% and drop of yield by 9.5%. In particular, commercial farms harvested 22.8 mn tons of grain crops (by 11% less) and individual farms – by 25% less (6.5 mn tons). Curtailment of grain crop harvest occurred first of all as a result of barley production reduction by 5.4 mn tons or by 47.3%.

Gross harvest of wheat (13.9 mn tons) in 2007 was practically at the same level as in 2006 (99.9%). Commercial farms harvested 11.5 mn tons of wheat (by 2.0% more) and individual farms – 2.4 mn tons (by 8.8% less). Harvest of grain maize was better in 2007 – 7.4 mn tons or 15.5% more than in 2006, mostly due to expansion of harvesting areas by 10.6%. Commercial farms harvested 5.7 mn tons of maize (+37.7%) and individual farms – 1.7 mn tons (-25%).

Production of sunflower curtailed by 21.6% in 2007 against figures of 2006. It was harvested 4.2 mn tons as a result of harvest area curtailment by 12.8% and reduction of yield by 10%. Gross harvest of industrial sugar beet dropped by almost 25%, exclusively because of harvest area reduction by 25.9%. It amounted to 17.1 mn tons.

Gross production of potato in 2007 constituted 19.1 mn tons and decreased by 1.9% and vegetables – correspondingly 6.8 mn tons and -15.2%. It occurred mainly because decrease of these cultures yield in individual farms by respectively 1.6% and 12.2%. Gross volume of fruits and berries production increased by 31.5% up to 1.5 mn tons and grape by 19.6% up to 0.36 mn tons. It took place due to increase of productivity by correspondingly 1.4 and 1.3 times.

Individual farms grew 98% of gross potato yield, 90% of vegetables, 87% of fruits and berries, 22% of grain, 19% of sunflower, and 14% of sugar beet.