Because of significant loss of winter crops this year, Ukrainian farmers have to increase land areas under spring crops. Thus, it’s planned to sow 1.4 million hectares under soy, 23% more than the last year. This may allow to collect a record harvest of this crop - 2.5 million tons.

Soybean commodity production in Ukraine has rather short history, but in recent years increased production has allowed not only the internal needs, but also enter the top 10 countries exporting this culture.

Popularity soybean is growing fast among farmers. This is confirmed by decreasing the share top-20 producers of soybean in Ukraine, which was found during the study "of Agrarian Food Product spectrum Ukraine 2012: personal section." In 2010 it was 14.1% in 2011 - 12.4%. - Said the director of the agency «AgriSurvey» Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UABC) Taras Gagalyuk. – Several years ago, growing soybeans in Ukraine were worked mainly by large agricultural companies, but now soy attracts more and more small farms that haven’t had experience of its cultivation. The total number of businesses that grew soybeans in 2011, without taking into account farms, has increased by 13% and amounted to 6.1 thousand units.

The expert says, the attractiveness of growing soybeans because you can use your own sowing material, then the costs are small, and thus price risk is quite low at very high profitability. In addition, soy has one of the largest among oil crops export potential, taking into account world market conditions and increasing demand every year.

For the formation of the export market this crop in the last years a significant effect had the growth of external demand and prices. The main importer of soybeans is the European Union. Also in recent years actively exploring export occurs in the Middle East (Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia) and Africa (Egypt). In most of these soybeans are exported for feeding purposes.

Given the current high prices for soybeans, which occurred against a background of reduction of harvest by 10-15% in South America, this year's soybean may be the most profitable culture.

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Tetiana Kotyk