Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)
Authorities in Russia’s Rostov region said last week they expected this year’s grain harvest to fall by 38% to 10 million tons as a result of a heat wave following frosts in the spring, Reuters reported.
The Rostov region, which accounted for 11% of Russia’s total grain harvest last year, is one of the key regions that will continue to change its crop estimates for 2024, according to the agriculture ministry.
“Under the scorching sun and in temperatures of 50° C, farmers in the Rostov region, Russia’s breadbasket, are trying to save their crops damaged by heat, frost and flooding,” the publication says.
According to the ministry’s latest estimates from April, updated last week, the Russian grain harvest in 2024 will be 132 million tons, 9% less than the 145 million tons in 2023 and 16% less than the record 158 million tons in 2022.
“Wheat came out of the winter in good condition and the harvest prospects were excellent, but now we are harvesting what we have left,” said Sergei Sasunov, senior agronomist at the agro-company Rassvet in the Rostov region.
Sasunov estimates that his company has only harvested half of last year’s crop.