Mild, showery weather kept soils favorably moist for early
spring grain planting.Across central Russia and neighboring portions of northern Kazakhstan, this season’s snowpack melted during the early to middle part of April, allowing producers to begin preparing fields for spring grain sowing.
During the past week, light to moderate showers (2-15 mm) maintained good soil moisture for early wheat and barley planting, while temperatures up to 5°C above normal ensured there was no late-season snow to impede early fieldwork.
Farther south, 10 to 30 mm of rain maintained adequate to abundant moisture reserves for vegetative winter wheat in Uzbekistan, while late-season mountain snow boosted irrigation reserves for early cotton planting and establishment.