Ukrainian corn export potential will be the second highest after 2018/19 record

Corn is considered to be a crop with high margins in Ukraine. The planted area of corn has been expanded significantly in recent years. During the last 10 years Ukraine increased corn planted area by 84% – from 2.71 Ml ha in 2010 to the record level of 4.97 Ml ha in 2019.

MY 2018/19 witnessed another breakthrough in Ukrainian corn production. The main feature of the season was an unprecedented rise in corn yield, to a record 7.69 MT/ha (up 35% year-on-year). Along with an acreage expansion, that high yield made it possible to harvest a record 35.8 MMT of corn. Apart from the use of better inputs, such great productivity stemmed from favorable agrometeorological conditions during the corn-growing season.

In MY 2019/20, Ukraine may even break last season’s corn record. Firstly, corn acreage for this year’s harvest is at an all-time high, up 8% from 2018. Secondly, agrometeorological conditions in July-August suggest that the average corn yield in the country may exceed 7 MT/ha again.

Thus, according to UkrAgroConsult, export availabilities will nevertheless fall to some degree because of low carryover stocks. However, corn export potential will be the second highest after the 2018/19 record.

Full version of the study “Ukrainian Corn: From raw materials to processing” you can find here: https://ukragroconsult.com/en/research/order/ukrainskaya-kukuruza-ot-syrya-k-pererabotke