Ukraine's wheat and maize crops under threat of worsening drought

Ukraine's wheat and maize crops under threat of worsening drought

2014-03-07 10:06
kiev, March 6: according to the report of the Martell crop forecast company of the meteorological agency, the prospect of winter wheat and corn production in central and eastern Ukraine is increasingly threatened by the intensification of local drought.

It said parts of Ukraine had seen only 30 to 50 percent of normal rainfall over the past four months. Even if the rainfall is normal this spring, it will not make up for the lack of soil moisture. Ukraine is expected to become the world's third-largest corn importer and sixth-largest wheat exporter this year.

Martell president Gail Martel said that the drought in central and eastern Ukraine is becoming more serious, and these areas are in urgent need of large-scale spring rains to alleviate the drought.

Russia's dispatch of troops to Ukraine led to a surge in agricultural markets this week. Corn prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) surged to their highest level in 12 weeks on Wednesday. Black Sea ports and shipping activities are generally normal.

Martel said that in the past three months, heavy rain has occurred in western Europe and most parts of Russia, but most parts of Ukraine are dry. There is also no indication that Ukraine will see beneficial rains this month.

Ukrainian winter wheat crops are planted after mid-October, then enter the overwintering period and harvest begins in July of the following year. The planting of corn began at the end of April. (Source: Master Boyi