The projected volume of grain exports in 2016/17 agricultural year (July-June) could total over 40 million tonnes, Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutoviy said after signing a supplement to the memorandum of understanding with grain traders in Kyiv on Friday.

"According to forecasts, exports would exceed 40 million tonnes. This is the highest figure in the history of independent Ukraine," the minister said.

Kutoviy said that the ratio between bread wheat and non-bread wheat exported will be 60% and 40% respectively. The wheat exports forecast is 16.5 million tonnes, including 10.1 million tonnes of bread wheat and 6.4 million tonnes of non-bread wheat.

"As for barley exports, it could be 5.6 million tonnes. For rye we formally set 1,000 tonnes not to fully ban it," the minister added.

Kutoviy said that as of September 30, around 10 million tonnes of new harvest grain had been exported. This is 500,000 tonnes more than a year ago. In August over 4 million tonnes was exported. This is a record-hitting figure compared to the previous years.