Sowing 2026: Pace of spring grain sowing increased by 1.8 times over week, but is 10.5% lower than last year

As of April 6, Ukraine has sown 828,300 hectares of spring grain and leguminous crops, which is 14% of the forecast for the current year, the press service of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture reported on Tuesday.

According to current statistics, the pace of fieldwork has increased 1.8-fold over the past week: farmers have sown 366,900 hectares, compared to 281,300 hectares in the previous reporting period. However, current figures are 10.5% lower than last year’s figures, when 926,000 hectares were sown as of April 4, 2025.

The Ministry of Economy clarified that 420,900 hectares (56% of the planned area) have been sown with barley, 186,100 hectares (68%) with peas, 111,100 hectares (60%) with wheat, and 86,500 hectares (63%) with oats. Corn and buckwheat sowing has not yet begun, and millet currently sown on 300 hectares.

In addition, the sowing of industrial crops continues, with 60,700 hectares already sown. Specifically, sunflowers have been sown on 18,300 hectares (0.4% of the forecast), soybeans on 0.05 thousand hectares (1%), and sugar beets on 42,300 hectares (21%).

As of April 4, 2025, some 926,000 hectares of spring grain and leguminous crops were sown in Ukraine, in particular, 551,800 hectares of barley, 116,500 hectares of wheat, 164,300 hectares of peas, 82,300 hectares of oats, 33,000 hectares of sunflower, 2,600 hectares of soybeans, and 64,800 hectares of sugar beets.

According to the Ministry of Economy’s forecast, the total area sown to spring grains and legumes in Ukraine in 2026 will amount to 6.002 million hectares. Corn will traditionally account for the largest share, at 4.418 million hectares. Among industrial crops, sunflowers are planned to occupy 5 million hectares, soybeans – 2.04 million hectares, and sugar beets – 197,200 hectares.