According to agricultural departments of the subjects of the Russian Federation, to date 64.9% (9.5 mln ha) of winter grains planted areas for the harvest-2014 (from the general planted areas of 14.7 mln ha) were in good condition. The condition of another 4.5 mln ha (31%) of the planted areas was estimated as satisfactory, 0.6 mln ha (4.1%) - bad, which corresponded to the average multiannual indices, declared the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation on February 5.
As for crops overwintering by region, by the end of January 2014 the Ural Federal District and most parts of Western Siberia showed mostly safely conditions for winter grain areas.
In the Volga Federal District winter crops were kept under good snow cover, which securely protected winter crops from freezing. In December and early January in the Southern and North Caucasian Federal Districts the temperature terms were mostly close to standard ones.
Due to frosts, the minimum soil temperature in southeastern regions of Rostov oblast, southern regions of Volgograd oblast fell to the critical indices. Such temperatures may cause damages to the winter wheat fields, informed the Ministry.
According to Petr Chekmarev, Director of the Department of plant-growing, chemicalization and plant protection of the Ministry of Agriculture, the current condition of winter crops does not cause any fears. The final conclusions on overwintering of grain crops and possible losses will be made after coming down of the snow cover and beginning of the vegetation period. According to the average multiannual indices during 10 recent years, the losses of winter crops in Russia cover 9.1% of the general planted areas of winter grains.
