Ukraine keeps 2025 grain forecast at 56 million tons despite poor weather

Ukraine’s farm ministry is keeping its 2025 grain harvest forecast at 56 million metric tons despite unfavourable weather in April and early May, the first deputy agriculture minister said. Ukraine harvested 56.2 million tons of grain in 2024. “We have 56 million tons in our forecast. June will show a more realistic picture and we will make an estimate in June,” Taras Vysotskiy told Reuters. State weather forecasters said on Tuesday that weather conditions in early May were mostly satisfactory for grain fields, but frost and drought in southern regions have damaged or killed some winter wheat, peas, rapeseed and barley crops. Ukrainian farmers are sowing spring crops and the harvest depends on grain fields having enough heat and moisture for germination and growth. Forecasters said that as a result of drought and frequent and prolonged frosts, significant damage or drying of up to 40% of winter wheat crops was observed in some areas of southern regions. Earlier in the month, ...