The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday that the country’s winter grain crops will ripen at least two weeks early due to unusually high temperatures in most regions in late May and early June.
Winter wheat has long been the leader in wheat production in Ukraine, accounting for about 95 percent of the total crop. Ukraine also grows a large area of winter barley.
The ministry said in a report, “This year, winter wheat will begin to ripen in mid-June and continue until early July, that is, a period ranging from two to two and a half weeks earlier than its average dates for many years.”
The Ministry indicated that weather conditions for the growth of winter and spring grain crops at the end of May and early June are “generally satisfactory.”
Ukraine witnessed several waves of frost in the period from the first to the 16th of May.
On Friday, Russia declared a federal state of emergency in 10 regions due to damage to crops due to the frost wave that struck the country in May.
Russia and Ukraine are the main producers of grains in the Black Sea region.
The Ministry of Agriculture said it maintained its forecast for this year’s grain harvest at 52.4 million metric tons despite bad weather conditions in May.
In line with the ministry’s forecasts, Ukraine can harvest 19 million tons of wheat this year compared to 22.5 million tons in 2023.
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