OREANDA-NEWS. As of October 13, 2008, Ukraine harvested 47.133 million tons of grain, which is almost 70% up year-over-year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Grain and leguminous crops were harvested from 13.6 million hectares, or 88% of the target.

The average crop yield of grain crops in Ukraine is 34.7 centners per hectare, while by the same date last year it was 22.1 centners per hectare.

Ukraine threshed 3.25 million tons of corn from 770,000 hectares (30% of the target), with the average crop yield being 42.2 centners per hectare.

Farmers also harvested 263,000 tons of buckwheat from 248,500 hectares, 226,600 tons of millet from 134,200 hectares, 51,500 tons of rice from 9,400 hectares, and 246,300 tons of soy from 160,700 hectares.

Agribusinesses threshed 4.268 million tons of sunflower seeds from 2.813 million hectares, with the average crop yield being 15.2 centners per hectare.

The Agriculture Ministry forecasted this year's grain harvest at the level of 48.6 million tons, and the yield of sunflower seeds at 5.6-5.7 million tons.