KIEV, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's gross crop production is expected to increase by 4 percent from a year earlier to reach 60.2 million tons in 2026, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Tuesday, citing a recent forecast.
This is mainly due to an increase in the production of grain and leguminous crops, said Oleksandr Nechiporenko, deputy director of Ukraine's Institute of Agrarian Economics.
The production of spring crops is expected to decrease by 1.6 percent, in particular, due to reduced sowing areas, while the harvest of corn is predicted to drop by 2.4 percent, according to Nechyporenko.
The production of crops, including spring wheat, sorghum and winter barley, is also expected to increase, mainly for reasons of marginality.
The projected crop production in 2026 will fully meet Ukraine's domestic food needs while sustaining its export potential, Nechiporenko said. ■
