Ukraine’s grain harvest in 2018 hit a record 70 million tonnes, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said at a business forum on Dec. 11.
In 2017, the nation harvested 61.28 million tonnes, according to the State Statistics Service. That was down 4.7 million tonnes from the 2016 harvest.
Reports in November attributed the 2018 record crop to the high yield of corn. At that time, it was estimated the corn crop would reach a historical high of 34.8 million tonnes.
As of Dec. 7, corn harvest was 98% complete, UkrAgroConsult said, despite snow and current weather conditions.
For the first time in several years, corn will not remain in the field over winter, it said. Typically, 5% to 10% of corn plantings have remained unharvested until spring, increasing grain losses.
