USDA estimates Russia winter wheat area up 10% in 2015/16

Based on data from Rosstat (the State Statistical Committee of Russia), USDA estimates that the final sown area for 2015/16 winter wheat in Russia, not including Crimea, increased by 10.0 percent from last year, from 11.88 to 13.06 million hectares. Most of the increase occurred in the Central District, where area increased from 2.68 to 3.42 million hectares, the highest level in at least 20 years. Spring wheat area for Russia increased by 0.37 million hectares, to 13.54 million, partly in response to high winter-wheat losses in the Central and southern Volga Districts and subsequent replanting with spring wheat. The share of Russian winter grains destroyed by the combination of fall drought and winter frost is reported at 10.0 percent this year, compared to 2.4 percent last year and the 5-year average of 9.5 percent.

 

USDA estimates Russia wheat production for 2015/16 at 60.0 million metric tons, surpassing last year's crop by 0.9 million tons. Harvest reports from the Ministry of Agriculture cite record or near-record yield in the Southern and North Caucasus Districts, and near-average yield in the Central District despite severe fall drought and remarkably poor establishment conditions for the region's winter wheat. Current prospects are favorable for spring wheat in the Siberian, Volga, and Ural Districts.