Ukraine & Russia Crop Tour results reported
At the end of March the Crop Tour travelled across Ukraine and Russia to objectively record the condition and yield potential of overwintered crops as spring growth recommenced.
The team used a rapid crop appraisal technique to make over 500 crop assessments
At the end of March the Crop Tour travelled across Ukraine and Russia to objectively record the condition and yield potential of overwintered crops as spring growth recommenced.
The route covered 4,893km and took in the north, western and central regions of Ukraine and central, southern and western regions of western Russia.
The team used a rapid crop appraisal technique to make over 500 crop assessments and carried out 60 detailed in field studies to measure key yield indicators.
In addition the team took photographs and video which was made available during the tour and is now available on line.
The team held discussions with farmers and industry personnel and collected anecdotal evidence on crop and soil conditions and counselled opinion on the financial and political situation relevant to agri-businesses in Ukraine and Russia.
The tour identified variations across Ukraine and Russia with some regions scoring below satisfactory as the dry autumn had caused delayed and patchy germination with small plants that had higher than average level of cold damage.
Other regions visited were satisfactory in good condition and showed no problems post winter.
In Ukraine’s central regions and Russia’s southern regions wheat had reached early stem extension and farmers had started applying nitrogen fertiliser.
Across Ukraine soils had been dry but late snows and rains had provided sufficient moisture for early season growth and no farmers expressed concern for soil moisture going in to April.
In Russia late snows and rain had improved soil moisture conditions in central regions but there were still concerns over dry soils further south and April rains are seen as critical to supporting yield there.
Finance from banks had stopped, credit from suppliers was unavailable or at excessively high rates and suppliers are requesting payment on delivery.
In Ukraine Fertiliser sales were reported from one source as down 30% on last year which will affect yields.
Agri-businesses and farmers say they are trying to manage resources by replacing higher cost crops such as corn and soya with lower cost alternatives such as spring cereals, using cheaper domestic seeds and generic chemicals, reducing nitrogen fertiliser rates and dropping out base fertiliser altogether.
In general post winter crops are in a fair to good condition in most of Ukraine and parts of Russia but reductions in fertiliser and other inputs with no obvious solution to the financial situation means harvest 2015 of small grain cereals and oilseed rape will be down.