Corn to become Ukraine’s main grain crop in 2025

Ukraine is expected to harvest a larger grain crop this year compared to 2024, with corn taking the lead as the country’s main grain. Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Taras Vysotskyi announced this during a discussion at the Center for Economic Strategy. According to updated estimates, Ukraine’s total grain production in 2025 will reach around 59 million tons, up from 56 million tons last year.

Vysotskyi noted that the harvest of early grains — wheat and barley — has already been completed, showing results similar to the previous season: 22–22.5 million tons of wheat and 5.3 million tons of barley, sufficient to meet domestic needs. The largest share of this year’s harvest will come from corn, with an expected output of about 30 million tons.

“The corn harvest is actively underway, but we haven’t reached the halfway point yet. This year’s late spring delayed the start of harvesting, and September and October were quite rainy. The main phase of corn collection is still ahead,” Vysotskyi explained. He added that corn will be the country’s leading grain crop in terms of volume, showing an increase of 3 million tons compared to last year’s 27 million.

The deputy minister also cautioned that the harvest season could extend into December due to unpredictable weather conditions. “The weather may still make adjustments, but overall, we’re seeing a strong agricultural season,” he said.

For oilseeds, the situation is the opposite — production will be lower than in 2024. The rapeseed harvest is already complete at 3.3 million tons, slightly down from 3.7 million tons last year. Sunflower output remains stable at 11.5–12 million tons, while soybean production has dropped significantly to 5–5.5 million tons compared to 7.2 million tons in 2024.

“Soybean acreage decreased this season, while corn acreage expanded — this naturally affected the overall crop structure,” Vysotskyi noted.

Earlier, the deputy minister had projected a total grain harvest of about 56 million tons, but the latest figures have surpassed those expectations. According to the National Bank of Ukraine, strong harvest results have contributed to improving inflation dynamics. The regulator also expects further growth in agricultural production in 2026–2027, primarily driven by corn. However, despite better yields, Ukraine has been losing ground in the EU corn market, where its share has dropped threefold due to delayed harvesting.

Tags: Ukraine, corn, barley, soybean, wheat, sunseed