Ukraine exports 16.5 m t of grain since start of current MY

Ukraine since the start of the current marketing year (MY, July 2012 – June 2013) and as of February 8 had exported 16.5 million tonnes of grain, the Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry has reported.

Some 6.1 million tonnes of wheat, 8.2 million tonnes of corn and 1.98 million tonnes of barley have been exported since early July 2012, the ministry said.

Since early February 2013, Ukraine has exported 406,200 tonnes of grain, including 105,200 tonnes of wheat, 291,900 tonnes of corn, and 4,300 tonnes of barley.

The ministry said that at present 1.16 million tonnes of grain, including 102,000 tonnes of wheat, are at port elevators.

At the start of the current marketing period, grain traders and the ministry signed an addition to a memorandum foreseeing that the government might introduce limitations on grain exports, and cap the maximum amounts of grain exports.

The ministry projects the country's grain export potential for the current marketing year at 23.4 million tonnes.

The State Statistics Service estimated Ukraine's grain harvest in 2012 at about 46.2 million tonnes against the record high of 56.7 million tonnes gathered in 2011.