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  • 30 September 2024
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Weather extremes cause low wheat and maize yields in Russia

Hot, dry, and overly wet conditions made an end to several years of (near-)record-high yields of winter cereals and grain maize in Russia – the September edition of the JRC MARS Bulletin on Russia reports.  

Weather extremes cause low wheat and maize yields in Russia
Harvest of spring cereals is still ongoing in Asian Russia.
© MaxSafaniuk - stock.adobe.com 2024
Areas of concern Russia September 2024 -  Extreme Weather Impact

Hot and dry weather negatively impacted the yield potential of winter cereals

In June, very high temperatures compromised the yield formation of winter cereals, especially in south-western parts of European Russia, where the negative impacts were exacerbated by inadequate water supply. Harvest conditions were mostly favourable, but abundant and persistent rain in the Volga okrug hampered progress and negatively affected grain quality.

Overall fair yield outlook for spring cereals, but with serious concerns about grain quality

Hot and dry conditions negatively impacted the yield potential of spring cereals in large parts of European Russia, whereas important production regions in Asian Russia benefitted from above-average rainfall. Overall, this resulted in an average to slightly positive yield outlook for spring barley and spring wheat. 

However, in numerous regions of Russia, harvesting was hampered by frequent rains, with negative impacts on grain quality.

Cold spring followed by hot and dry summer results in negative yield outlook for grain maize

Colder-than-usual temperatures in May unfavourably slowed down initial development of grain maize. During summer, heatwaves and inadequate water supply during flowering and grain filling impaired yield formation in the main maize producing regions. Harvest of maize is currently ongoing and progressing well.

Further information

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Details

Publication date
30 September 2024
Author
Joint Research Centre
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