Poltava region: farmers face lower harvests due to drought

In the Poltava region this year, a decrease in the gross harvest of agricultural crops is expected due to unfavorable weather conditions. This was reported by the press service of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, citing information from Ukrinform and ProAgro Group.

According to the report, this year's weather conditions were far from favorable for the vegetation of agricultural plants. Lack of air and soil moisture, lack of rain, abnormally high temperatures, droughts and droughts became the reasons for increasing air-soil drought, which negatively affected the development of plants.

The "Poltava" weather station notes that the rainless period has been ongoing since July 6, and in July and August only 2.5 mm of precipitation fell on the territory of the region. In July, the air temperature reached 36-38°C, which led to serious problems for the plants, which suffered from a lack of moisture. The leaves of the plants lost turgor and curled, which, in turn, affected the quantity and quality of the harvest.

The gross harvest of corn in the Poltava region is forecast at 2.8 million tons, which is 907 thousand tons less than last year, when 3.7 million tons were harvested. It is also expected that the gross soybean harvest will amount to 485,500 tons, which is 77,400 tons less than in 2023, when 562,900 tons were harvested.

The gross harvest of sunflower is expected at the level of about 1 million tons, which is similar to last year. In turn, the gross harvest of sugar beets is forecast at the level of 1.2 million tons, which is 263 thousand tons less than last year, when this figure was 1.5 million tons.

These data testify to the serious challenges faced by the farmers of Poltava Oblast due to the change in climatic conditions, which endangers the stability of the agricultural sector in the region. Support for farmers and agricultural enterprises is becoming key to overcoming the effects of drought and ensuring food security in the region.