In Ukraine winter crops sowing campaign for the 2017 crop is accompanied by different cataclysms. Severe drought during optimal seeding terms delayed sowing season in September. In early October machinery could not work in fields in the South because of rains. In late October freezing weather became another complication.
Thus, Ukrainian farmers had only several days favorable for sowing. And in those days they had to continue corn, soybean and sunflower seed harvesting, which still remained in fields. Due to all these factors, the sowing pace is significantly behind the many-year average.
In Ukraine the second half of October was quite cold and wet, so plants received sufficient moisture, but felt heat shortage. In late October temporary formation of insignificant snow cover was observed in some regions.
Such temperature conditions initially slowed down, and in some regions even suspended growth and development of winter crops.
Besides, early cold spell calls into question the ability to implement the sowing plan, especially in northern and central regions. (UkrAgroConsult/Business World Magazine)
