Ukraine will increase the amount of land for growing soybeans by 20 percent in spring to meet higher demand in domestic and international markets, Kiev-based agricultural researcher UkrAgroConsult said.

Soybean planting areas will rise to 1.35 million hectares (3.33 million acres) from 1.13 hectares last year, the Kiev- based researcher said in e-mailed statement today.

Yields will probably decline this year to 1.86 tons per hectare from 2.04 tons per hectare in 2011, the researcher said. Soybean yields will decline because of lower soil moisture in spring this year, according to UkrAgroConsult.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kateryna Choursina in Kiev at kchoursina@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at ccarpenter2@bloomberg.net