- Ukraine has completed the harvest of early grains like wheat and barley
- Wet weather is anticipated to affect the quality of harvested sunflower and soybean crops
KYIV: Heavy rains will dominate much of Ukraine for at least the next seven days, significantly slowing the harvest of late grains and oilseeds, analysts at farmers' union UAC said on Tuesday.
Ukraine has already completed its harvest of early grains — wheat and barley — and has begun harvesting corn, sunflower and soybeans.
"Weather will affect the harvest: sunflower and soybeans will get wet," the analysts said in a weekly report.
UAC estimates that rain during the harvest could also raise corn production costs because the crop will need to be dried before being placed in storage.
The union forecasts that additional drying will add $10 to $15 per metric ton to production costs, which currently stand at $110 to $130 a ton.
The agriculture ministry said on Tuesday that farmers had harvested 0.34 million tons of corn so far.
