Spring sowing-2025: corn is the leader

As of April 25, 2025, 2 million hectares of spring grain and leguminous crops have been sown in all regions of Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the largest area of crops is corn – 705 thousand hectares. Barley occupies 702.1 thousand hectares, spring wheat has already been sown on 199.8 thousand hectares, peas – 201.8 thousand hectares, and oats – 154.2 thousand hectares.

The leaders in terms of sowing rates are Poltava (251.5 thousand hectares), Kirovohrad (146.4 thousand hectares) and Sumy (138.1 thousand hectares) regions.

Technical crops are sown on an area of 1,763.6 thousand hectares. Of these, sunflowers were sown on 1,236.8 thousand hectares, sugar beets – 228.5 thousand hectares, and soybeans – 187.6 thousand hectares.

We would like to remind you that in 2025 it is planned to sow about 5.7 million hectares of spring grain and leguminous crops, which corresponds to the level of 2024. The main feature of the new season will be the increase in the area under spring wheat to 227.5 thousand hectares. Such changes in the structure of crops correspond to the stable demand for wheat from processing enterprises and exporters.

We would like to remind you that experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predict that the wheat harvest in Ukraine will be the lowest in five years. The reasons for this are the consequences of the war and drought. Wheat production in Ukraine this year is expected to be lower than the five-year average due to the ongoing war, and dry weather conditions are causing expectations of a moderate decline in yield compared to the previous year.

We should also add that grain yields in Ukraine are not the highest in the world, but the country has established itself as a key global grain supplier due to its ability to export most of what it grows. According to Reuters, Ukraine's success was facilitated by a rapid increase in corn production, which tripled in the 2010s. Some early forecasts suggest that this grim trend may continue in 2025-2026, which, if realized, could further reduce Ukraine's export share and benefit competing suppliers, such as the United States.

The meager Ukrainian wheat harvest and relatively average prospects for Russia may put pressure on global wheat supplies in 2026. But oilseeds remain a bright spot for Ukrainian farmers.

Since 2022, grain farming in Ukraine has become mostly unprofitable due to logistical problems related to the war and other economic factors. Production of the main grain crops – corn, barley, and wheat – in 2024-25 was one of the lowest in the last decade, decreasing by 34% compared to 2021-22 due to a reduction in sown areas.