Ukraine. Pea acreage to shrink by 20%

As UkrAgroConsult predicted, Ukraine’s pea acreage may shrink by 20% this year. According to Ag Ministry’s forecast based on regional data, farmers are expected to plant 347 Th ha to peas against 431 Th ha last year.

198 Th ha of peas had been sown in Ukraine by March 28 (57% complete). The largest areas are to be planted to peas in Zaporizhia region (60 Th ha, or 17% of their total acreage), Odesa region (43 Th ha, or 12%), and Kharkiv region (34 Th ha or 10%).

Noteworthy is that planting of peas, as well as other early spring crops, started almost a month earlier than last year. This was caused by the early arrival of spring and favorable agrometeorological conditions. However, despite good weather for sowing peas, their area is expected to be at a three-year low.

With regard to the overall prospects of the Black Sea region in the pea market in 2019, the trend is expected to reverse in its other countries as well.