Ukrainian agribusinesses leave corn in fields over winter amid high drying and logistics costs

An increasing number of Ukrainian agricultural companies are considering leaving part of their corn harvest in the fields until spring 2027 due to low purchase prices, high grain drying costs, and disruptions to export logistics. Additional challenges include expensive alternative transport routes, delays in shipping grain from the previous harvest, and a shortage of available grain storage capacity. Under these conditions, postponing harvesting could help reduce drying costs as grain moisture levels decline naturally.

TG Agro, which operates in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions, plans to leave around 80% of its corn acreage unharvested over winter. Farmer Dmytro Solomakha is considering postponing harvesting on approximately 30% of his fields until spring. Yuriy Drobyazko, co-owner of ATK, said the company intends to leave around 70% of its corn in the fields. According to him, at current grain prices, harvesting corn with moisture levels of 26–28% and subsequently drying it could cost more than the grain itself is worth.

Conditions vary significantly depending on the region and weather. In southern Ukraine, where corn moisture levels averaged 14.7%, ATK has already completed harvesting, while in Zhytomyr region, moisture levels reach 32–34%. Meanwhile, at the Peremoha farm in Cherkasy region, summer drought reduced corn yields to 4 t/ha, compared with expectations of 8–10 t/ha. According to farm manager Dmytro Solomakha, drying one ton of grain from 17–18% moisture to 14.5% costs around UAH 500, adding further pressure to production costs.

However, leaving corn in the fields over winter carries risks of crop lodging, ear damage, and deterioration in grain quality. Drought-weakened stalks, pest damage, and Fusarium infection pose particular threats, with the latter potentially leading to mycotoxin accumulation. Agricultural company Zakhidnyi Buh warns that corn harvested after winter may lose its export-grade quality and become suitable mainly for industrial processing. Therefore, decisions to postpone harvesting should take into account field conditions and the resilience of individual hybrids.

Despite the challenging economics of harvesting, some major agricultural companies do not plan to leave corn in the fields over winter. HarvEast, which has previous experience with delayed harvesting, aims to complete the harvest before spring, as prolonged exposure increases the risk of losses and disrupts preparations for the next growing season. In addition to conventional grain storage facilities, the company uses polymer grain bags for on-farm storage. Zakhidnyi Buh also plans to complete corn harvesting by mid-November to early December to avoid potential deterioration in grain quality.

Tags: Ukraine, corn