January 10, 2012
 

Uneven rainfall delays Russia's harvest

 

 

Over-generous rainfall is delaying Russia's autumn harvest, with several operators reporting exceptionally long harvesting process.

 

Meanwhile, Ukraine's winter wheat harvest is under the threat of a prolonged drought.

 

Alpcot Agro, a farm operator in the Black Sea region, revealed that it has yet to finish its autumn harvest. Other operators such as Black Earth Farming have suffered the same fate.

 

"The harvest season has been extraordinarily long this year due to very wet conditions throughout the fall," Alpcot Agro said.

 

Excess rainfall also meant a "higher humidity content of the crops than in a normal year" and boosted drying bills.

 

About 500 hectares of corn in Kursk, eastern Russia, were still awaiting harvest, although Alpcot Agro said it was "confident that it can be harvested without significant loss during the early part of 2012".

 

The delays echo those the US suffered in 2009, meaning some northern crops were not harvested until early the next spring.

 

On the other hand, in Ukraine, a dearth of rain has raised concerns over seeds sown during autumn. Many analysts believe that the country will be forced to import wheat in 2012-13.

 

"Drought continues to afflict Ukraine's winter wheat crop," Morgan Stanley analysts said on Friday, noting that 34% of winter grains were rated in "poor" condition as of late December, compared with 7% a year before.

 

On Friday, US-based Martell Crop Projections warned that "historic drought in Ukraine prevents any chances for a productive harvest in 2012", without potentially falling to its lowest since 2003, when wheat production plunged 80% to 3.6 million tonnes, harmed by a persistent ice crust.

 

"Precipitation finally developed in late December, after a six-month drought, but the generous rainfall comes too late to rescue wheat from a very poor outcome. Perhaps 50% of Ukraine wheat may be lost," added Stanley.