The 2026 harvest campaign has begun in Ukraine. Farmers in the southern districts of Odesa Oblast were the first to start gathering the new crop, where threshing of winter barley and wintering peas has already begun, reports UNN with reference to the Ministry of Economy.
As reported by the ministry, the start of the harvest opens a new stage of the agricultural season, which this year is taking place under a difficult security situation and weather challenges. At the same time, the condition of the crops and the results of field surveys provide grounds for cautiously optimistic forecasts regarding the future harvest.
The new harvest is the result of months of work by Ukrainian farmers, which becomes visible in every field and in every collected ton of grain. Despite the war, resource shortages, and difficult weather conditions, our farms carried out the sowing campaign on time and are starting the harvest. This is evidence of the resilience of the Ukrainian agricultural sector, which remains one of the key drivers of the economy and a guarantor of the country's food security. We expect that this year's harvest will fully meet Ukraine's domestic needs, preserve the export potential of the industry, and strengthen our state's position on the global food market
Odesa Oblast traditionally ranks among the leading agricultural regions of the country and annually provides a significant share of the gross production of grains and oilseeds.
Let us add
During the spring sowing campaign of 2026, Ukrainian farmers sowed 5.88 million hectares of spring grains and leguminous crops. In total, over 20 million hectares have been sown with winter and spring grains and oilseeds for the 2026 harvest.
According to preliminary estimates, the total harvest of grains and oilseeds in 2026 is expected at the level of 81–83 million tons. In particular, grain production is forecast at 60–61 million tons, which corresponds to last year's figures. The wheat harvest is expected at the level of 22–23 million tons due to a reduction in sown areas and more restrained yield forecasts. At the same time, corn production may exceed 32 million tons, and barley – amount to about 5 million tons.
The harvest campaign will continue in all regions according to the ripening dates of the crops and weather conditions.