Let’s check on how the Ukrainian wheat crop is looking. The harvest forecast was lowered as estimates show it will be 2 million tons less than last year.
USDA Chief Economist, Seth Meyer tells us what farmers there look like based on satellite images.
“You can see progress in areas where the conflict is not occurring, but you can see areas kind of in the border regions between the occupied zone and the Ukrainian-held zone, and you can see damage to the crops, you can see fields that have been burnt, you can see action not taking place simply because it’s not safe for those producers.”
He says Ukrainian producers have put in a Herculean effort, but major issues like blocked ports and transportation remain.
Last year’s (2021) grain harvest in Ukraine included 32 million tons of wheat.
Related:
Ukraine and Russia are making progress on grain talks
News From Ukraine: Farmers work to safely demine their fields to get back to work
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine are priced into corn and wheat futures
