In 2015 Ukraine will be subject to replant winter crops throughout 15% of the areas, or 1.2 mln ha, declared Tatiana Adamenko, Head of the department of agrometeorology of the Ukrainian hydrometeorological center, on February 24.

According to her forecast, in the current year 1.2 mln ha of winter crops will be lost, perished or low-yielding. T.Adamenko added that last year Ukrainian agrarians replanted winter crops throughout only 4% of the areas under the crops.

According to her, the share of replanting works for winter crops in the current year will exceed the average annual index, which totals 7% for Ukraine.

In the autumn period of optimum terms for planting works, there were 60% of the planted areas in the drought-affected condition. In addition, during the second half of October 2014 the first frosts hit, and it snowed in Ukraine. In November the condition of winter crops did not improve at all. As a result, 16% of winter crops entered the winter period in poor condition, explained T.Adamenko, and added that 1% of winter crop recovered due to the thaw period in December.

At the same time, she noted that winter barley in southern oblasts covered nearly one half in the structure of the crops areas in the current year.

As a result, the yield indices of winter crops in the current year will be lower compared with last year. According to the forecast of the hydrometeorological center as of February 20, the yield of winter wheat will reduce to nearly 3.2-3.5 t/ha, against 4 t/ha in 2014.

Source - http://www.apk-inform.com/