Drought Causes ‘Deteriorating’ Crop Conditions in Russia/CIS Region
20 July 2012 
Drought and decreased production is the latest news addressed by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in its July World Agriculture Production report.
The Russia/CIS region is suffering from severe drought, causing the USDA to lower its yearly estimates.
Despite high temperatures throughout the second half of June, there was not “significant” temperature damage to Ukraine’s corn, according to the USDA report. Ukraine corn production for 2012/13 is forecasted at 24 million tons, up 1.2 million tons from last year.
Harvested area is estimated at 4.5 million hectares, up almost 1 million from last year, and yield is forecast at 5.33 tons per hectare against 6.44 tons last year and the 5-year average of 4.91 tons per hectare.
In contrast, the USDA lower Russia’s wheat production estimates for 2012/13 to 49 million tons, down 7.2 million from last year’s season.
The USDA forecasts harvested area at 24.5 million hectares, down 1 million from last month and down 0.4 million from last year. Yield estimates are at 2.0 tons per hectare, down 4% from last month, down 11% from last year, and 10% below the 5-year average, the report stated.
Key production regions have been suffering from damage due to drought.
Barley area is estimated at 8.1 million hectares, up 0.4 million from last year, and yield is forecast at 1.91 tons per hectare against 2.20 tons last year and the 5-year average of 2.10 tons, according to the report.
Source: USDA Foreign Agriculture Service
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