OREANDA-NEWS. January 06, 2010. Business meeting on a topic “Sorghum as a strategic and highly profitable culture” was held on December the 2nd at the transshipment terminal for grains and oilseeds in Mykolayiv.

The meeting was attended by the heads of companies “Syngenta”, government enterprise (SOE)“Reylin” and representatives of “NIBULON” headed by the Deputy General Director     A. O. Vadaturskyy.

The main issues of the meeting were the principles of cooperation and prices forecast for sorghum in 2010, cost-effectiveness analysis of growing grain sorghum hybrids in the South of Ukraine in 2003 – 2009, an integrated protection system for grain sorghum.

According to A. O. Vadaturskyy, “the issue of growing grain sorghum is currently very topical.  Grain sorghum ranks the fourth after wheat, rice and corn in the world production. The world sorghum is estimated at a discount 20 USD or 150-160 UAH per ton relative to corn. For the past 50 years sown area under sorghum in the world increased by 60%. The main producers of grain sorghum are - Mexico, the USA, Argentina and Japan. Tracking global trends, this year “NIBULON” in order to increase production of grain sorghum crops has begun seeding in the branches of the company in Mykolayiv region. Yield of this crop was quite high for instance in “Lidiyivs’ke” 50 c / ha, despite of the adverse natural climatic conditions. Program for promoting of a new for domestic farming culture requires rationality and gradualism. Today is up-to-date to produce fodder sorghum. Analyzing market conditions, we concluded that the demand for forage groups is more than for food groups, because we expect in 2009/2010 marketing year there will not be a large difference in price for food and fodder grain. “NIBULON” is ready to accept and to export 1 million tons of Ukrainian sorghum.

The president of state enterprise “Reylin” V.T. Barbaruk and deputy general director of “Syngenta” O.M. Lapa also appreciated the great potential of this trend in agriculture of Ukraine. But, as it was noted by representatives of company ”Syngenta”, today there is an urgent need to promote sorghum among Ukrainian farms. Therefore, the meeting decided to develop a clear algorithm and technology for the production of this crop for the further spread of this information among farmers.

“Today and according to next year’s forecasts economy of sorghum growing will be more attractive than growing barley ravine, which is a loss in the South of Ukraine. Nowadays prices for sorghum are 150-200 UAH per ton higher than for barley. Sorghum yield is 4.8 tons per hectare and barley is - 1, 8-3 tons per hectare,”- said A.O. Vadaturskyy.

 “NIBULON” again proves that it is not satisfied with what has already been achieved. That is why now the company aims at implementing the latest agricultural technologies, tracks the latest trends in world grain market, develops new directions of development of the agricultural sector in Ukraine. “NIBULON” seeking to its own development and learning attracts and unites the companies and industries from all over the country for a common goal - to make Ukraine the breadbasket of the world, leader in the export of grain, rich and highly developed agricultural State.