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December 13, 1999
UKRAINE WINTER WHEAT UNPROTECTED AS SNOW COVER RETREATS
A substantial portion of Ukraine winter-wheat area lost its snow cover following a week of unseasonably mild weather throughout most of the FSU winter-grain region. Winter grains in Ukraine and Russia's North Caucasus region have suffered little or no cold-weather damage so far this winter, but an episode of frigid weather in late November and early December may have resulted in some damage to winter grains farther north, in Russia's Central Black Earth region and the central Volga Valley. Although one Russian press report indicated that 20 percent of Russian winter-grain plantings were ruined during the cold spell, this degree of damage seems unlikely given the adequate protective snow cover. (See previous week's assessment.)
For more information, contact Mark Lindeman with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on (202) 720-0888.
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