Wheat acreage in Russia expected to hit a 10-year high

Spring planting in Russia is gaining pace. It has started in four federal districts in southern and central parts of the country. Farmers continue to actively sow spring barley and have begun planting spring wheat. The weather conditions are favorable for this operation. Although the pace of planting spring grains is far ahead of last year (+150%), it is still somewhat behind the five-year average, reports UkrAgroConsult. 

According to Russia’s Ag Ministry, it is projected to plant 29.55 Ml ha to spring grans and pulses in 2019 (29.45 Ml ha was planted in 2018). In particular, the spring wheat acreage is planned at 12.17 Ml ha that is up 1.7% from last year’s 11.97 Ml ha.

The high level of both export and domestic wheat prices in the 2018/19 season pushes farmers to not only increase winter wheat plantings, but also restore those of spring wheat. Russia’s spring wheat acreage is expected to expand for the first time since 2016.

Thus, the total wheat acreage for the 2019 harvest in Russia may hit a 10-year high.