Shortly before his resignation on the grounds of ill health, Roman Leshchenko, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food for the Ukraine projected that only half of the 37.5 million acres available would be planted in 2022 due to the invasion by the Russian Federation.  Leshchenko estimates that only six million acres of winter wheat would be harvested out of the 16 million acres that were planted.

The sharp reduction in supply of grains and sunflower from Ukraine has created concern in the E.U. and accordingly the European Commission is evaluating methods to produce more food especially through short and medium-term modalities.  These include planting cropland fallowed in accordance with environmental policy, providing an additional ten million acres.

Shortfalls in production by Ukraine will be reflected in increased commodity prices during 2022 and 2023.  The extent of losses will be a function of the duration of the war, displacement of the population and damage to the Nation’s infrastructure.