Up to 51% of Apricots Have Perished, 12% of Winter Crops Require Reseeding — Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center

Spring inspections of agricultural lands in Ukraine have revealed significant losses among stone fruit crops, as well as issues affecting some areas with winter crops. According to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, March of this year was the driest in over three decades, which negatively impacted plant health.

This is reported by AgroReview

Winter Crops: Critical Condition of Some Areas

As of the end of March, winter crops have resumed vegetation across the entire country. The vast majority of winter crop areas are in good or excellent condition. However, about 12% of the crops are assessed as unsatisfactory and require reseeding or overseeding. Early sown spring grains are already showing germination and seedling formation, made possible by soil temperatures at a depth of 10 cm ranging from +7 to +15°C.

Losses Among Fruit Crops and Intensifying Drought

Among fruit plantations, the greatest losses have been suffered by stone fruit crops. According to the results of the assessments conducted in the first half of March, the mortality rate of apricot flower buds ranged from 13% to 33% in Kyiv and Kherson regions, while in Mykolaiv region losses reached 51%. For cherries, this figure varied from 2% to 15% in Chernihiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions. In sweet cherries, up to 14–16% of buds perished, while in apple trees, the loss ranged from 3% to 14%. Peaches, plums, pears, and grapes were not affected by adverse weather conditions.

“March turned out to be the driest since 1991. There was a very rapid loss of moisture. Throughout the month, a decrease in relative humidity to 30% and below was observed across the territory,” noted the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center.

A critical moisture deficit was accompanied by moderate winds, which occasionally provoked the emergence of dust storms. Although in most areas the topsoil remained sufficiently moist, in certain sections of the south, west, and Dnipropetrovsk region, it was poorly moist or completely dry. The reserves of productive moisture under winter crops at the end of March mostly corresponded to long-term norms, except for some areas in the south and Vinnytsia region.

Meteorologists warn that if the precipitation deficit continues, there is a risk of drought phenomena developing in the near future.