Ukraine’s importance to grain exports

Long known as Europe’s breadbasket, Ukraine has vast farmlands that are cheaper to cultivate than elsewhere on the continent – and deep seaports with easy access to international markets


UKRAINE GRAIN GROWING SEASONS
Sow	Grow	Harvest

Barley (spring) 
Barley (winter)
Maize* 
Millet 
Rice 
Sorghum 
Wheat
Months J F M A M J J A S O N D 
Russia invades Ukraine


MAIN GRAIN PRODUCTION (millions of tonnes) 

Maize                                                                                                                                                            2021/22	38.22
2022/23 22.68 (-21%)
Wheat
2021/22	29.95
2022/23	17.69 (-26%)
 
Barley
2021/22	9.00
2022/23	5.17 (-31%)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has depleted grain production


Did you know?
In modern times, flag of Ukraine is said to represent grain fields under blue sky


Sources: USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, CIA World Factbook. 
Picture: Polina Rytova, Carmine Savarese (Unsplash). *“Corn” in North America, Australia and New Zealand 
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