PRODUCTION OF BUCKWHEAT: STATE, CHALLENGES, AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

Purpose. To analyze the current state of buckwheat production in Ukraine, different regions of the world, and leading producing countries, as well as to identify the challenges and prospects for developing this valuable cereal and honey plant. Methods. Comparative-analytical method – to identify patterns of the studied characteristics based on collected statistical data; graphic method – using graphical illustrations to visualize research results and represent specific patterns; abstract-logical method – to formulate theoretical generalizations, theories, hypotheses, conclusions, and practical recommendations. The informational basis of the research consisted of statistical data from the FAOSTAT database, scientific information from literary sources, results of own analytical studies, and calculations performed. Results. The global area of buckwheat cultivation significantly fluctuates from year to year. Since 2002, there has been a substantial reduction in these areas.Buckwheat is grown in all regions of the world except for the countries of Oceania. The most significant cultivation areas are concentrated in Europe, accounting for 56.1% of the global figure from 2000 to 2023. Asia ranks second with a share of 37.8%. The areas allocated for buckwheat cultivation are minimal in the Americas and Africa. 82.2% of the sown area for buckwheat is concentrated in just three countries: Russia, China, and Ukraine. These same countries also account for this crop's most enormous gross yields.There is a clear trend of gradual growth in buckwheat production volumes in all regions of the world, except for Asia, where a decline occurred from 2011 to 2020, affecting globalindicators. The buckwheat production volumes decreased from 2011 to 2020, compared to 2000 to 2010, in Ukraine and China. In Russia, gross crop yields increased, but this was due to an expansion in sown areas. In terms of yield, Russia lags behind both Ukraine and China. According to average data from 2000 to 2023, the yield of buckwheat in Russia was 0.88 t/ha, in China it was 0.93 t/ha, and in Ukraine it was 0.96 t/ha. Since 2010, Ukraine has consistently outperformed Russia regarding yield, except for the unfavorable weather conditions in 2017. The maximum yield of the crop in Ukraine was achieved in 2023 – 1.42 t/ha. Despite the small sown areas, the highest productivity of buckwheat is consistently demonstrated by the countries of the Americas from year to year. This indicates a significant potential for Ukraine to further develop buckwheat production and highlights the necessity for continuous improvement of agricultural technologies for growing this cereal crop. Conclusions. The most significant areas of buckwheat cultivation and production volumes are concentrated in Europe, with the leading countries in production being Russia, China, and Ukraine. Our country demonstrates growth in sown areas, yield, and gross harvests despite the challenging conditions of war. In Ukraine, buckwheat yield has significantly increased since 2013, reaching record levels in 2023. This highlights the importance of the crop for the agricultural sector and its potential in the international market. Stable production and improvement of farming technologies can strengthen Ukraine's position as one of the leading producers of cereal crops.