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October 3, 2001
Russian farms had sown 13.7 million hectares of 2002/03 winter grains as of October 1, compared to 11.6 million by the same date last year, according to Ministry of Agriculture data reported by the Reuters news service. The rapid pace is attributed in part to favorable weather in the Central and Volga regions of European Russia. The sowing of winter crops in Russia typically begins in August in the northern fringe of the agricultural zone and progresses southward throughout September and October. Planting is largely complete by early November.
Russian agricultural officials aim to increase 2002/03 winter grain area by 15 percent over last year's reported 14.7 million hectares. According to the U.S. agricultural attaché in Moscow, however, farms are unlikely to achieve this target due to falling prices for wheat and large carry-over stocks following this year's bumper harvest.
In Ukraine, fall planting is roughly 80 percent complete. The government press service, cited by Reuters, reports that nearly 7 million hectares of winter grains, including 5.8 million of winter wheat, were sown by the beginning of October. The target areas are 8.8 million hectares for total winter grains and 7.1 million for winter wheat.
Soil-moisture conditions improved for emerging or soon-to-be-planted winter grains in Russia's Volga Valley and Southern regions between September 15 and October 1, but several weeks of dry weather have reduced soil moisture levels in south-central Ukraine. The situation is not critical, however, and winter crops still have adequate time for proper establishment assuming the region receives rainfall within the next few weeks.
View total winter-grain area for previous years and current USDA estimates of 2001/02 grain production for Russia and Ukraine.
For more information, contact Mark Lindeman with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on (202) 690-0143.
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