Expert Names the Main Crops Whose Cultivated Areas Have Declined Significantly During the War

This was reported by Andrii Kupchenko, Head of the Analytical Department at APK-Inform and FAO Ukraine Technical Expert on Markets and Trade, during the Grain Processing Forum 2026, organised by the Union «Flour Millers of Ukraine» together with FAO Ukraine as part of Agro Ukraine Week.

«Due to the role of peas as a good preceding crop in crop rotation, the area under this crop is gradually increasing. In addition, the Chinese market has opened to Ukrainian pea exports. Other crops, by contrast, remain in a state of severe stagnation. Oats, buckwheat and millet occupy minimal areas, although the latter is showing growth this season,» the expert said.

He noted that this year:

• Approximately 713.6 thousand hectares were sown with barley. There is sufficient raw material for pearl barley groat production, and there are currently no critical concerns.
• Oats were sown on 137.5 thousand hectares, almost the same as last year.
• Peas were sown on nearly 260 thousand hectares, which is 20 thousand hectares less than last year.
• Buckwheat occupied 55.1 thousand hectares, almost 5 thousand hectares less than in 2025.
• Millet was sown on 38.5 thousand hectares, more than 5 thousand hectares more than last year.

Andrii Kupchenko also added that the total area under these crops for the 2026 harvest is 2.6% smaller than in 2025 and 26.8% lower than pre-war levels. The largest reduction in cultivated area was recorded for peas (-7%), while millet showed the largest increase (+25.7%).

Viktoriia Polevyk, AgroPortal.ua