The drought in Ukraine puts threaten the future wheat harvest, adding to the challenges faced by farmers struggling with the effects of war and unpredictable weather.
This was reported by URA-Inform, citing Bloomberg.
Experts note that although farmers have time to improve conditions before the end of the sowing campaign, dry weather conditions may limit the possibility of timely sowing of winter crops, which play a key role in annual production.
Although wheat prices have fallen from records reached shortly after Russia’s invasion, they have begun to rise in recent weeks due to disruptions to supply chains across the Black Sea. Ukraine’s wheat yields are down a third from pre-war levels due to the loss of controlled territory and a halved area planted compared to last year.
High temperatures have also played a role, with the second week of September seeing temperatures 7℃ above normal, exacerbating the effects of drought, particularly on winter crops. The heat and dry soil have made planting preparations difficult, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Farmers face additional challenges as large agricultural regions are under Russian control and the remaining land is often contaminated by mines and munitions. The situation is also exacerbated by labor shortages due to mobilization. However, forecasters are predicting rain, which could improve conditions for wheat if precipitation continues.
Earlier we reported on the price Russia is paying for the war: The Moscow Times calculated the current losses.