Russian farmers are headed for a record-setting wheat harvest, forecast the USDA, up 7 percent from 2016 thanks to high yields in the winter wheat crop and a bountiful outlook for spring-planted wheat. With the large crop, Russia is forecast to displace the United States as the world’s largest wheat exporter.
In the monthly World Agricultural Production report, the USDA said the Russian crop was forecast to yield an average 2.80 tonnes per hectare, which would be 10 percent higher than the record set in 2016 and 25 percent above the five-year average. Winter wheat accounts for 70 percent of the crop and its harvest is 60 percent complete. “Satellite imagery indicates outstanding conditions and high potential yields in the country’s spring wheat zone,” said the USDA.
The USDA also raised its forecast of the wheat harvests in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The countries of the former Soviet Union are expected to provide nearly one-third of world wheat trade during the 2017/18 trade year. Russia would be the largest exporter, at 31.5 million tonnes. The EU would be the second-largest exporter in 2017/18, with 29.5 million tonnes, followed by the United States with 26.5 million tonnes, said USDA.