From balanced June to drought outlook: What July may bring for Ukraine’s agriculture

Ukraine’s farmers could soon face drier conditions, as forecasters warn that rainfall is expected to taper off nationwide starting next week, potentially leading to a developing drought.

Nataliia Ptukha, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, delivered the outlook during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine. She noted that even regions where conditions have so far been favorable for crops may start to see growing challenges.

“Starting next week, the rains will stop, and we’ll face a precipitation deficit not only in the southern regions but across the rest of the country as well,” Ptukha said. “According to our agrometeorologists, conditions in the western and northern regions remain quite favorable for now. But elsewhere, we’re already seeing signs of a shortage.”

She explained that June’s weather, including both temperature and rainfall, was generally supportive of agriculture. But July may not follow the same pattern.

“If there’s no precipitation next week, we’ll be dealing with a moisture deficit everywhere,” she warned. “The conditions we had in June, both in terms of temperatures and rainfall, largely benefited the agricultural sector. But that may change quickly.”

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