Ukraine's Minister of Agriculture said Ukraine will increase in soya production.
The Minister said that soya production increased
20 times in the last ten years and 2016 was a record harvest for the crop at more than 4mmt.
Actually production increased five times and exports by six in the last ten years so
on this occasion the Minister has been somewhat “over briefed”, but it is true to say production has increased as it has with all the major crops in Ukraine.
Soya is a tricky crop to grow in Ukraine, it’s more
technically demanding and temperamental to weather conditions than wheat, corn or sunflower.
Getting the split application of broad leafed and grassweed
herbicide timing is critical as is inoculating the
seed accurately and the fertiliser regime which despite what everyone advises
in Ukraine, often does need some nitrogen.
Growing GM soya alleviates the weed control option but
although GM soya is grown, it is illegal and as Ukraine aligns
itself closer to the EU that's more likely to become an issue than not.
Seed tends to be more expensive than other spring crops so
all in all I don’t see soya production increasing significantly in Ukraine, while there
is the capacity to grow more, four to five million tonnes production is
probably the limit for now.
The Minister also mentioned organic soybeans as an area for
development which begs the suggestion, will we start to see the
production of organic GM soya in Ukraine?