OREANDA-NEWS. On August 21, 2008 Ukraine harvested 42.6 million tons of grain and leguminous crops from 12.337 million hectares, which is twice more compared with the same date in 2007, it was reported with reference to the Ukrainian Agriculture Ministry.

According to information from the regions, the average crop yield of early grain and leguminous crops is 34.5 centners per hectare, while by the same date last year it was 20.6 centners per hectare.

Ukraine threshed 26.596 million tons of wheat from seven million hectares (99% of the target), with the crop yield being 37.9 centners per hectare. Farmers also harvested 13.354 million tonnes of barley from 4.166 million hectares (99.5%), with the crop yield being 32.1 centners per hectare. They also threshed 1.038 million tons of rye from 455,000 hectares (99%), with the crop yield being 22.8 centners per hectare.

Farms have also started harvesting buckwheat and millet. They threshed 37,700 tons of buckwheat from 30,600 hectares and 48,000 tons of millet from 25,400 hectares.

Farmers also prepared 6.585 million hectares of land for the sowing of winter crops, which is 75% of the target.

They also started sowing winter rapeseed crops on 54,600 hectares, with the target being 1.282 million hectares, the ministry said.