The drought is worsening conditions for late-season crops in Ukraine

Air and soil drought continued to spread across Ukraine in the first ten days of August amid hot and predominantly dry weather. The moisture deficit worsened conditions for late crops as they approached the final stages of vegetation, according to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center.

In fields where available soil moisture reserves had already been depleted, late crops were completing their vegetation prematurely. By the end of the first ten days of August, both topsoil and the one-meter soil layer were dry or nearly dry across many areas in central and southern Ukraine, as well as in some western regions and Kharkiv region.

According to agrometeorologists, high temperatures and insufficient moisture could negatively affect sunflower yields. Corn was exposed to unfavorable conditions during ear formation and grain filling, while drought is also creating risks for buckwheat grain formation.

Conditions are particularly difficult in southern Ukraine, where drought has caused premature ripening of corn and sunflower. This is already reducing corn grain and sunflower seed weight and could negatively affect final yields.

The prolonged lack of rainfall is also creating problems for the 2027 crop planting campaign. Low soil moisture is complicating field preparation for winter crops, particularly winter rapeseed, whose optimal planting window is August 10–25.

Tags: Ukraine, corn, sunseed, rapeseed