Ukraine has started the sowing campaign for 2013 harvest, sowing first 75,400 hectares with rapeseeds or 6% of the target, the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry has reported.
The report says that the sowing of winter rapeseeds was started in the optimal agrotechnological terms and will be finished by early September and latest rains are good for the sowing campaign.
“Rains in Ukraine now after a long drought help restoring moisture reserves, which is needed to obtain sprouts of winter crops,” the press service said, citing Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Oleksandr Sen.
He also said that at present, other winter crops are being actively prepared for sowing. It is planned to sow total of 9.1 million hectares with winter crops, including winter grain crops on 8.2 million hectares.
The ministry said that 6.6 million hectares have been prepared for sowing of winter crops.
Sen also said that at present farms have seeds of winter crops at 101% of their need.
In addition, farms accumulate 220,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers, which is 35% of the need in them.
Earlier the ministry predicted that Ukraine could sow 9.12 million hectares with winter crops for 2013 harvest, which is 3.3% down year-over-year.
