The
belt of mixed forest and steppe running west-east across
south-central Ukraine has rich black soils whose intense
cultivation has made the country a major producer of winter
wheat and sugar beets. Other crops include sunflower seeds,
corn (maize), potatoes, grapes, oats, rye, millet, and buckwheat.
Fruits and vegetables are grown on the outskirts of cities,
and cattle and pigs are raised throughout the country.
Ukraine
has rich reserves of iron ore, bituminous and an thracite
coals, and manganese- bearing ores located in close proximity
to each other. This region, in east- central Ukraine, is
the industrial heartland of the country and one of the majors
heavy-industrial and mining- metallurgical complexes of
Europe. Ukraine also produces natural gas and petroleum,
though reserves of these fuels were much depleted during
the Soviet period.
Besides
its basic mining industries, Ukraine has ferrous- metals
industries that produce iron and steel in large quantities.
Durable goods manufactured include mining and metallurgical
equipment, automobiles, and tractors.The chemical industry
produces large amounts of sulphuric acid and mineral fertilizers.
Ukraine's food- processing industries yield a wide spectrum
of all kinds of food of good quality.
