Main points
- Ukrainian farmers lost a significant portion of winter peas due to winter frosts and adverse weather conditions.
- Farmers plan to reseed fields in the spring, considering substitutions with spring barley, spring peas, coriander and flax.
Growing winter peas / Photo farming.org.ua
Ukrainian farmers have faced massive losses of winter peas after winter frosts. Due to adverse weather conditions, a significant part of the crops will have to be replanted in the spring.
Winter peas did not survive the winter
Last year, farmers in Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions increased the area under winter peas, AgroPortal reports. The reason was a dry summer, which did not allow for the timely sowing of rapeseed in the planned volumes.
However, expectations were not met. Due to the high sensitivity of the crop to temperatures, a significant part of the crops was destroyed by winter frosts. According to experts, the decisive factor was the phase of plant development before the onset of cold weather.
Warm weather in the fall led to the peas developing actively and reaching the four-leaf stage by the beginning of winter. In this state, the crop turned out to be much less resistant to frost, and at temperatures around minus 17 degrees Celsius, most of the crops froze.
Farmers are preparing to reseed their fields
As a result of the losses, farmers are forced to review their crop structure and prepare for the spring campaign. Re-sowing is planned on the areas where winter peas, as well as partially winter wheat and rapeseed, died.
The main crops being considered for replacement include spring barley, spring peas, coriander and flax. This approach will allow for partial compensation of losses and adaptation to current seasonal conditions.
Farmers note that weather risks remain one of the key challenges for winter crops, especially those that are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Due to proximity to the front, Kherson region farmers are switching to new crops
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Farmers in the Kherson region are switching to growing vegetables – with state support for up to 80% of irrigation costs.
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Also, due to the proximity to the front, farmers choose crops that are less vulnerable to fires, such as rapeseed and sunflowers.