KIEV, UKRAINE — Ukraine wheat output in 2020-21 is forecast to decline by 15% from the previous year due to dryness in key production regions, according to a June 30 Global Agricultural Information Network report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA expects wheat production to drop to 24.7 million tonnes in 2020-21 from 29.1 million tonnes in 2019-20. The report also projects an 8% decrease in barley production, to 8.7 million tonnes from 9.5 million tonnes.

The USDA said the drop in wheat and barley production was “largely attributable to unfavorable weather conditions for winter crops, especially in the Odessa and Crimea regions.”

Corn output is forecast to increase by 7% due to increased planted hectares, up 400,000 to 5 million. The USDA sees production increasing to 38.3 million tonnes from 35.8 million.

The USDA projects a huge decrease in Ukraine wheat exports in 2020-21, from 20.5 million tonnes last year to 15.4 million, a 25% decline from 2019-20. Barley exports are expected to decline by 6%, to 4.6 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, the USDA forecasts corn exports to increase by 9%, to 31.6 million tonnes in 2019-20.

In 2019-20, Ukraine led the world in barley exports and was ranked fourth in both wheat and corn exports, according to the USDA.