Europe's Top Corn Supplier - Ukraine Ups Export by 21.5%

KYIV, Ukraine, February 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

As of February 3, 2013, Ukrainian corn producers exported 7.95 million tons of corn - 1.4 million tons more than last year in a year-on-year comparison, informed the Agrarian Ministry of Ukraine. Following the world's leading corn exporters - the U.S., Argentina, and Brazil, Ukraine became top corn supplier among European countries.

In 2012, Ukraine produced about 20 million tons of corn; more than half of it the country is ready to sell to foreign buyers, stated Ukrainian agrarian minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk. Major consumers of Ukrainian corn in January - November of 2012 were Belgium, Egypt, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

In 2012, Ukraine began cooperation with China - world's largest corn consumer - regarding the supply of corn. The eastern Asian nation plans to buy approximately 3 million tons of Ukrainian corn per year. To help boost Ukraine's corn production, in July 2012, China provided a USD 3 billion loan for Ukraine's agricultural sector. The loan is intended to finance the increase of the trade volume, raise productivity, and stimulate equipment modernization in the Ukrainian agricultural sector. With the money Ukraine will be able to purchase crop-protection agents, seeds, and equipment from China, as well as invest in land cultivation and set up a plant for organic fertilizer processing and crop-protection agent production.

Currently, Ukraine has a 12.9 percent share of the global corn market. In 2011, Ukraine took the third spot in the global corn supplier rating, being the second runner-up to the market giants- the USA and Argentina.

Besides its strong position on the global market of corn, Ukraine has an 18.5 percent share on the world barley market and a 4.5 percent share on the wheat market. Total grain export in 2012 reached over 16.25 million tons, including 6.04 million tons of wheat and 1.98 million tons of barley, according to Minister Prysyazhnyuk.

Remarkably, in 2012, the eastern European country increased its agricultural export by 40 percent. Ukraine's sunflower oil export volume was the world's largest in 2011 and 2012. Additionally, in 2011, Ukraine became the world's second biggest pome fruit exporter, and third largest currants and natural honey supplier, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN.