![Oleksiy Kryvobok, chief science expert at Eos, says Ukrainian grain production increased in 2023. Oleksiy Kryvobok, chief science expert at Eos, says Ukrainian grain production increased in 2023.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5Q2j7ezUfQBfUJsaqK3gfB/e1405a54-940b-433e-b43d-96c6c8198ec7.png/r0_0_1200_1600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Ukrainian grains industry has shown considerable resilience in the face of the ongoing conflict with Russia, according to data collected by analysts Eos Data Analytics.
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Oleksiy Kryvobok, chief science expert at Eos said production had dropped significantly in the first year of the conflict after a record season in 2021.
In 2021 the eastern European nation produced 100 million tonnes of grain, however this figure dipped significantly in 2022, the first year of the conflict to around 56m tonnes.
Mr Kryvobok said a combination of poor weather and logistical difficulties due to the war had caused the substantial decrease in production.
However, Eos data from 2023 showed a good rebound of around 10-20 per cent in production across Ukraine's major grain commodities, including wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and soy.
"Despite the significant decrease in the area of crops, the increase in the cost of logistics, and the decrease in the profitability of growing the main agricultural crops, Ukraine remains one of the key producers and exporters of agricultural products in the world," Mr Kryvobok said.
He said the war-torn nation remained a critical player on the global grain export stage.
"At the end of 2023, Ukraine ranked eighth among the main exporters of wheat, seventh of barley, ninth of corn, second of sunflower, and ninth of soybeans," he said.
Following the onset of war, Eos estimated a 33.5pc drop in wheat plantings in 2022, with corn falling by as much as 44.4pc, with soybeans the only exception to the decline, with a 20pc rise.
In 2023, after the stabilisation of the situation at the frontline and the recapture of agricultural land in the east and south of the country, planting areas were increased for almost all main crops compared to 2022.
"The largest percentage increase was for sunflower and soybean crops, driven by their higher value and economically advantageous compared to grains, where the increase was a maximum of 10pc for corn," Mr Kryvobok said.
However, lower value barley saw a reduction in area, consistent with what was happening globally, along with the issues with export logistics in moving a high volume, lower value crop through clogged export terminals.
He said in 2023 the total harvest bounced back to 70 million tonnes, up from 56m tonnes the year before, with favourable weather also playing a role.
"Almost all major crops achieved record yields," he said.
In 2024, the trend of increasing soybean planting areas continued. Compared with 2021, the increase was almost 50pc, with growers chasing higher value and the agronomic benefits of a pulse crop.
Overall, the swing in Ukraine has been towards higher value crops such as wheat, soybeans and sunflower at the expense of corn and barley.