Ukraine’s top grain producing region may cut 2020 grain output by 70%

Ukraine’s major grain producing region of Odessa has lost around 500,000 hectares of winter crops due to severe drought and its harvest could fall by nearly 70%, a top regional official said on Thursday.

“If last year we harvested 3.7 million tonnes, this year, according to forecasts, we will be able to get only 1.2 million tonnes,” Governor Maksym Kutsyi wrote on his Facebook page.

Ukraine, world’s fourth largest wheat exporter, harvested a record 75 million tonnes of grain in 2019.

The Economy Ministry said last month that the 2020 grain crop could fall sharply to 60 million tonnes but on Wednesday increase the forecast to 65 million-68 million after rains across most regions.

Via Reuters