|
|
|
|
|
|
October 12, 2001
Recent dryness has reduced surface soil moisture in Russia's Southern District (the country's key winter wheat region), but adequate moisture is available for winter-crop germination. In south-Central Ukraine, however, moisture levels are unfavorably low, and the dry zone has expanded since October 1. The sowing of Ukraine's 2002/03 winter grain crop is virtually complete, according to government sources cited by the Reuters news agency. Planting data indicate a drop in sown winter wheat area from 7.1 million hectares last year (the 2001/02 crop) to roughly 5.8 million for 2002/03. Russian farms, meanwhile, 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. 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.
The USDA estimates Russian grain production for 2001/02 at 80.0 million tons, against 65.5 million in 2000/01. Wheat production is estimated at 43.5 million tons, up 9.1 million from last year, and barley output at 17.5 million tons, up 3.4 million from last year. (See table.) Total grain yield is estimated at 1.69 tons per hectares, the highest in nearly ten years. The 2001/02 grain crop benefited from a modest year-to-year increase in the use of fertilizers and plant-protection chemicals, coupled with excellent weather throughout the growing season and generally favorable harvest weather, particularly in the prime winter wheat region of southern European Russia. The U.S. agricultural attaché in Moscow cites several factors, in addition to weather, that have boosted output: increased fuel supplies, improved availability of custom harvesting services, and reduced losses of grain during transport from the fields to elevators.
The USDA increased estimated 2001/02 Ukraine wheat production to 21.0 million tons, more than double last year's level, and barley production to 10.0 million, up from 6.9 million last year. The revisions are based on harvest data from the Ministry of Statistics. As in European Russia, yield potential of winter grains was high, and dry weather prevailed during the harvest campaign.
For more information, contact Mark
Lindeman
with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on
(202) 690-0143.
|
|
 |
|
| | Contact PECAD | FAS Home | USDA | | |
