One-third of winter crop areas in parts of Ukraine remain unsown due to drought

Agrometeorological conditions in early October were mixed for soil preparation and winter grain sowing across much of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center. Heavy rains during the first ten days of the month replenished soil moisture reserves in most regions, supporting the emergence of winter crop seedlings.

However, excessive rainfall in western and parts of central regions — and locally in Odesa — led to waterlogged soils, hampering fieldwork. In contrast, severe drought persisted in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Experts noted that by early October, the optimal sowing window for winter crops had closed across the country, with about one-third of planned areas in eastern, southern, and central regions left unsown due to insufficient soil moisture. Although recent rains slightly improved conditions for early vegetation, they did not significantly restore soil moisture. In previously sown fields of Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, wheat seeds have failed to germinate for nearly a month because of the drought.

Meteorologists also warned that prolonged wet and cloudy weather in other regions may negatively affect unharvested late crops, including sunflower, soybean, and sugar beet, potentially leading to lower quality yields.

Tags: Ukraine, drought, sowing