Purchasing prices for some crops of grain group have reached its maximum. According to the price monitoring done by Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club” (UCAB), average purchasing prices for 3rd class wheat at the end of last week reached marks 2570 UAH/t (by 475 UAH/t or 22.7% higher than the same date of last year), feed wheat – 2250 UAH/t (higher by 280 UAH/t or 14.2%), corn – 2200 UAH/t (higher by 386,7 UAH/t or 21.3%).  Soybean has also demonstrated a record price of 5950 UAH/t (higher by 1500 UAH/t or 33.7%), and soybean meal – 7250 UAH/t (higher by 1350 UAH/t or 22.9%).

Despite the fact of increasing prices in UAH, farmers do not feel a positive effect because it was caused by hryvna devaluation as well as the overall political and economic situation in the country. Therefore, having the prices compared in dollar terms, we can state their reduction on all positions. In particular, the purchasing prices for 3rd class wheat compare to the last year went down by 33.2 USD/t or 12.7%, for feed wheat - by 46.1 USD/t or 18.7%, for corn – by 30.9 USD/t or 13.6%. The prices for soybeans have also decreased by 26.8 USD/t or 4.8%.

The financial situation of farmers is significantly complicated by increasing value of resources for agricultural production. Thus, mineral fertilizers which take about 14-22.2% in the structure of cereals costs have become more expensive. For example, the price for ammonium nitrate increased up to 3500 UAH/t, that is by 252 UAH/t or 7.8 percent more than in March of the last year, the price for urea has increased up to 4212 UAH/t that is 40 UAH/t or 1% higher compare to the last year. Petroleum products, occupying approximately 11.3-19.7% in the structure of costs also rose: gasoline (A-80) as of April 17, 2014 increased in price in average by 4.53 UAH/liter (45%), and diesel fuel – 3.44 UAH/liter (33.4%) compared to the prices of similar date of the last year. The most popular crop protection products have increased in value by an average of 40% or 353 UAH/liter (kg).

"High purchasing prices in hryvna for the harvest do not longer guarantee producers profitability. In the conditions of significant volatility in the currency exchange rate, which we can see now, many mechanisms to support agricultural producers stop working due to the impossibility of further forecasting the prices. So, for example, the number of commodity loans and loan volumes under the voice of the future harvest have significantly decreased compared to the last year. To stabilize the situation on commodity markets we need firstly to stop the devaluation of hryvna, which has to balance the cost of resources and agricultural commodity products" - added Igor Ostapchuk, the expert on agrarian markets of the Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club” (UCAB).