Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukrainian 2012 potato production plans to be modified by weather
Weather negatively affects potato yields in Ukraine. Such a fact is confirmed by Fruit-Inform's regular survey of Ukraine's leading fruit and vegetable growers. The survey has already shown that potato production will be lower year-on-year. At the same time, the situation will not be similar in different regions.
Potato production will suffer mostly in the eastern and central regions. In those regions, it has not been raining since early summer and, according to growers' preliminary estimates, they will harvest 20-25% less potatoes than last year.
However, overall situation is not critical yet, as potato plantations' state in the biggest producing regions (western and northern) is somewhat better. In those regions, potato yields are expected to be only 5-10% lower year-on-year.
"Last year, weather conditions were almost perfect for potato production. This year, the situation is not for growers' good. Savings on plant protection products, fertilizers and high-quality seeds will certainly affect yields. Despite many things to depend on weather conditions in July and August, it is obvious that Ukrainian potato production will be lower than last year's record-breaking level", Mrs. Tetiana Getman, Head of Fruit-Inform, says.
Ukrainian Potato Producers Association's experts agree with Mrs. Getman.
"In the current season, even professional farms had to use unsold last year's potatoes for plantings on at least 5% of areas, therefore last year's high yields are out of the question. In the future, weather will have even more impact: rains will not save the sitaution, but may provoke spread of potato blight, the disease that will most likely not be beaten by farmers because of funds shortage", Mr. Bogdan Zvolinskiy, Executive Director of Ukrainian Potato Producers Association, says.
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