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Most of Ukraine's winter grain crops are in good condition, but production could fall by 20% if dry and hot weather persists, agricultural experts cited by consultancy APK-Inform said on Monday.
Ukraine is a major grain producer and exporter, but its production has fallen sharply since Russia invaded the country in February last year.
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Grain production has fallen to about 53 million tonnes in 2022 from a record 86 million tonnes in 2021. The government has said that in 2023 the harvest could fall to 44.5 million tonnes.
Wheat dominates Ukraine's winter grain harvest and accounts for 95% of the country's total wheat production.
“In general, climatic conditions during most of the spring period were sufficiently favorable for the growth and development of winter cereal crops,” the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine said in a report.
“However, in case of continuation of dry weather in the grain filling period, especially in the context of high air temperatures… the share of lost yields could be from 15% to 20%,” he said, without giving an exact harvest forecast.
Experts noted that crops that were sown too late were particularly at risk.
The Ukrainian agriculture minister told Reuters on Friday that the ministry forecast the 2023 winter grain harvest at around 18 million tonnes, or 20% less than in 2022.
Source: Pavel Polityuk | Notícias Agrícolas
