February 22, 2023

Up to 2% of Ukraine's winter wheat not expected to last through winter

Only 1-2% of Ukraine's winter wheat crop will not survive the current winter, the agriculture ministry said on February 18, citing data from scientists.

Winter wheat accounts for more than 95% of Ukraine's overall wheat output. During the period, up to 7% of the winter sowing area usually dies, mainly due to heavy frosts and ice crust on fields, but the winter has been milder this year.

Farmers sowed about 4.2 million hectares of winter wheat for the 2024 harvest.

"The results of plant regrowth... showed that the survival rate of winter cereals (wheat, rye) was 98-99%," the ministry said in a statement. It added that up to 5% of winter barley was also damaged this winter.

- Reuters