In Ukraine, according to the operational data, as of March 24, 2014 total area of 1.5 million hectares was sowed with an early spring crops, which is 50% of the prospective planting area. The number includes: barley on an area of 1.15 million hectares (52%), peas- 135.9 thousand hectares (65%), wheat- 75.3 thousand hectares (41%) and oats- 129.9 thousand hectares (46%).

Furthermore, according to the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, sugar beet has been planted on an overall area of 22 thousand hectares (6%). Also, farmers have already started planting sunflower. As of today the oilseed has been planted on an area of 7.5 thousand hectares (0.2%).

According to the forecasts, sowing area of spring crops in all farming categories for the harvest of 2014 is expected to be 18.5 million hectares (not considering possible re-sowing). Planting of spring crops is projected on an area of 8.6 million hectares, which includes early spring crops- 2.9 million hectares.

It is planned to sow 6.4 million hectares with industrial crops, including sugar beet- 361 thousand hectares, which is 23% more than a year earlier, while reducing sowing area of sunflower by 11%- down to 4.3 million hectares.