"We cut our forecast for sunseed yield to 1.11 tonne per hectare from 1.12 tonne. Wet weather, which has caused a rise of plant diseases is an additional reason for the smaller crop outlook," ProAgro said in a statement.
Ukraine increased sunseed output to a record 4.2 million tonnes in 2003 from 3.3 million a year earlier. Ukrainian agriculture officials have said the country may harvest at least 3.2 million tonnes of sunseed in 2004.
Ukraine is among the world's leading sunseed producers, with its output accounting for around 10 percent of global output.