Ukraine Crop Conditions Continue To Decline

As of March 11, winter grains in Ukraine were rated 13.5% in 'unsatisfactory' condition, up from 10.8% a week ago, according to the Ag Ministry there. That's the equivalent of an area of 1.1 million hectares.

They say that 1.6% of planted area had perished entirely.

Winter rapeseed is the worst affected crop, with 22.4% now unsatisfactory, up from 20.8% a week ago, only 36% of the crop is now rated as being in good condition.

They say that 9.1% of winter grains remain under ice.

There are two ways of looking at this information, are they exaggerating losses to get prices up and earn some extra much-needed dollars, or underestimating them to avoid spooking the market? Who knows?

One thing I can tell you is that a couple of weeks ago, when they issued a statement saying that 7.2% of the grain crop was under ice, I received an email from a agronomist over there saying that the true figure was probably more like 72% not 7.2%.