Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region has declared a state of emergency due to heavy rains that have adversely affected winter crops during their critical sprouting phase. This declaration brings the total number of Siberian grain-producing regions under emergency conditions to four, including Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemerovo, which had previously announced similar measures.
Collectively, these four regions contribute about 5% of Russia’s grain harvest, which is significant for the country as it is the world’s largest wheat exporter. The declaration of a state of emergency permits farmers to seek compensation for their losses.
Sergei Ponomarenko, the first vice governor of Krasnoyarsk, noted that the excessive rainfall and soil moisture have severely impacted crops, with over 17,000 hectares affected and preliminary financial damages estimated at more than 280 million roubles (approximately $3 million). These winter crop losses are expected to have repercussions for the next year’s harvest.
In addition to these regions, over a dozen other Russian grain-producing areas have experienced extreme weather conditions, ranging from early spring frosts to drought, affecting more than 1.1 million hectares in total.
Despite these challenges, Russia has maintained its official grain harvest forecast at 132 million metric tons, reflecting a 10% decrease compared to the previous year, while its export forecast remains at 60 million tons.