Drought Parches Ukrainian Soil as Winter Wheat Sowing Begins

Dry conditions across most of Ukraine have left topsoil parched and intensified soil drought, state forecasters said, creating unfavourable conditions for preparing land to sow winter crops for the 2027 harvest.

In a report issued late on Tuesday, the forecasters said a continued shortage of effective rainfall over the previous ten-day period had prevented productive soil-moisture reserves from being replenished in most of the country.

Despite the dry spell, some farmers have gone ahead with planting, betting that a warm and rainy autumn will make up for the moisture deficit and allow the young plants to develop adequately before winter sets in.

Winter wheat is the backbone of Ukraine's grain output, accounting for roughly 95% of the country's total wheat crop. It is sown in the autumn and harvested the following summer, making the condition of the soil at planting time critical to the size of the eventual harvest.

Drought in August and September is a recurring problem for Ukrainian agriculture, and the current pattern fits that familiar rhythm.

The agriculture ministry has not yet published its forecast for winter wheat sowing for the 2027 harvest. It has, however, cautioned that the planted area could shrink, citing the inability to export the wheat already harvested in 2026 and a shortage of funds for the planting campaign.

Russian attacks have effectively blocked Ukraine's Black Sea ports, which previously handled 90% of the country's exports — a bottleneck that weighs on farm revenues and, in turn, on the money available to put the next crop in the ground.