KIEV – In 2020/21 MY, the sown area of oil flax in Ukraine decreased by 14%, becoming the lowest since 2004/05 MY.
The gross yield of flax in Ukraine in 2020 amounted to 12 thousand tons. However, the forecast for this year is with 1.3% growth due to better crop productivity. Furthermore, the Seed Growers Association of Ukraine states that flax production in Ukraine has decreased five times оver the past 10 years (sown areas decreased from 60,000 hectares to 14,000 hectares).
In the current season, Ukraine is losing price competition to key global flax producers – Kazakhstan, Russia and Canada. Also, the main reason for flax decline is Ukraine’s strong development of other oil seeds – sunflower and soybeans.
Flaxseed harvest this year will start in about a month by the end of July. At the moment, it is almost impossible to find old crop stocks. However, traders are offering purchasing prices at the level 700-750 $/T. It is expected that the price will go down with the first volumes arriving from the fields.