Corn drying costs in Ukraine could exceed the value of the grain at current prices

Yuriy Drobyazko, co-owner of ATK LLC, plans to leave most of his corn crop in the field until spring.

The farmer shared his plans at the conference “Survive and Grow: Agribusiness in Times of Crisis,” according to a Kurkul.com correspondent attending the event.

Drobyazko said he intends to harvest around 30% of his corn crop this autumn, leaving the remainder until April next year. He noted that he followed the same approach last season.

With corn prices currently very low and drying costs rising, he believes delaying the harvest is a practical option.

“You can avoid spending a fortune on gas and harvest the corn in spring. This is a perfectly realistic option. That is why farmers need to carefully consider which crops to grow to avoid excessive post-harvest handling costs. At current corn prices, harvesting grain with a moisture content of 26–28% and then drying it could cost more than the corn itself is worth. So why harvest it now?” Drobyazko said.

He recommends harvesting part of the crop immediately to maintain flexibility in marketing and sales.

“If export opportunities improve, that is good. If not, everything will depend on the situation. This approach will also reduce pressure on storage facilities, if you have them,” Drobyazko concluded.

Earlier, analysts at the PUSK agricultural cooperative warned that elevated grain moisture levels could force farmers to spend an additional $30/t on drying. Combined with currently low purchase prices, these costs could significantly undermine the profitability of corn production.

Tags: prices, grain drying, corn