The total area sown with spring grain crops in Ukraine for the harvest of 2022 due to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine may be reduced from 7.7 million hectares last season to 4.7 million hectares this season (a decrease by 39%), such preliminary estimates were made public on the website of the APK-Inform agency on Tuesday.

"The situation is also extremely negative for winter crops. Taking into account the current geography of hostilities, according to our estimates, out of 7.6 million hectares of winter wheat, rye and barley sown in total, only 5.5 million hectares may be available for feeding, and then harvesting, which corresponds to a loss of space at the level of 28%," the message says.

The invasion of Russian troops into the territory of Ukraine also makes it impossible to start sowing grain in many key regions of the country. The situation is aggravated by the destruction of supply chains, which will negatively affect both the size of the sown area and future yields in the country.

Another negative factor for the sowing campaign this season is the impossibility of obtaining seed material already contracted by farmers, which may lead to an additional reduction in corn crops.

"The availability of fuel, fertilizers, machinery and labor resources, of course, will also have a significant impact on the course of the sowing campaign. Therefore, estimates will be repeatedly changed in accordance with the development of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine," the agency stated in a statement.

As reported with reference to Alex Lissitsa, the General Director of the IMC agricultural holding, if the aggression of the Russian Federation continues, Ukraine in the 2022/2023 marketing year (MY, July-June) will not be able to export 50 million tonnes of grain crops, and will sow only 30-50% of the previously planned areas.

"Ukraine, together with Russia, supplies about 30% of wheat to global markets. Ukraine occupies a leading position in the export of corn, sunflower oil and other food products to the EU. In general, Ukraine provides almost 14% of the global food market. And this means that if now the war is not stopped and Ukraine is not able to supply 50 million tonnes of grain to global markets, the poorest countries in the world will be left without food. That is, hundreds of thousands of people will simply be doomed to starvation," Lissitsa explained.