Prevailing weather conditions in Ukraine does not pose a
threat to the state of the winter crops according to the Ministry of
Agriculture.
They report that adequate snow cover in most areas provides sufficient
protection despite low temperatures at the end of the first part of January.
They then go on to say that of the 7.2mha planted and 6.8mha
emerged, 5.6mha or 83% are in good and satisfactory condition with 1.2mha or 17%
in poor condition.
Which is only slightly misleading as what they should be
saying is of the 7.2mha of winter crop planted, 77% is in good condition, 17%
is in poor condition and 6% failed to establish.
To be honest these mid-winter crop condition announcements
are all but meaningless as the crop is sitting under a blanket of snow and no
one can tell what’s going on until the spring thaw when we can get out and
carryout proper crop condition surveys.
Although according Ukraine’s weather service large amounts
of snow will provided sufficient moisture to aid a possible good harvest but at
the same time they are suggesting more very cold weather is yet to come.