KIEV, UKRAINE — An extremely dry autumn has led to a 10% decrease in winter wheat planting in Ukraine, APK-Inform said on Dec. 16.

The consultancy said the area that accounts for more than 95% of Ukraine’s total output declined to 5.9 million hectares from 6.64 million hectares a year ago.

The Kiev-based consultancy said, “the completion of sowing in most areas took place in dry soil. Only a strong fog and abundant morning dew in many areas helped form small moisture reserves in the upper layers of the soil.”

It noted that 48% of Ukraine winter wheat crops are in good condition, 38% are satisfactory, and 14% are in poor condition.

It is Ukraine’s lowest wheat planted area since 2014.

Ukraine harvested 28.1 million tonnes of wheat in 2019 compared with 24.6 million tonnes in 2018.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service projects Ukraine’s 2020 wheat production at 29 million tonnes.