Ukrainian sowing of spring crops has reached 50% complete

Ukrainian sowing of spring crops reached the half way mark since the last reporting period and has maintained its high pace with a ten percentage point advance, or 1.4 million hectares, between May 2-May 5, according to the latest update from the country's agriculture ministry.

As of May 5, 7.1 million hectares have been sown, amounting to round 50% of the forecast for spring crops. 

Spring wheat planting advanced at a standard pace - up 3.1 percentage points per reporting period to now reach 96.9% complete on the pre-estimated area, and has now reached 186,100 hectares, compared to 89% of last year's progress.

Spring barley planting progressed slightly by just 0.7 points to 853,800 hectares, or around 63% of the 2021 area, that is used for comparison, versus 99% at the same point of last year.

Spring rapeseed sowing progressed by 8.7% through the period and was complete on 26,200 ha, or 79% of the total acreage forecasted to be sown, while by the same date of 2021 sowing had not yet started.

Sowing of oats has advanced 2.6 percentage points to bring the total to 86.3% complete on 153,500 hectares.

Peas progressed by 1.4 points and had reached 119,600 hectares or 49.4% now planted, versus 94% complete at the same date last year.

The progress of the sowing campaign for millet was not evident over the last reporting period, with the areas completed so far standing at 18,200 ha compared with only 7,300 ha completed on the same date last year, with the figure corresponding to 23.3% of the area in 2021.

While, corn planting inched forward steadily, with progress registered on 1.9 million hectares or 36.1% of the planting area in 2021, up from 12.8% last reporting date but against 44.5% last year.

Sunflower progressed by 8.1% and was complete on 2.4 million hectares, or 37%, versus 49% last year.

Finally, soybeans planting had advanced by 6.4 percentage points to 335,500 hectares or 26.2% of the planting area in 2021, against 19.9% last year pace.