Siberian Crop Devastation: State of Emergency Declared Due to Heavy Rains

The Krasnoyarsk region in Russia declared a state of emergency due to heavy rains damaging winter crops during sprouting, making it the fourth Siberian grain-producing region under emergency conditions. This mirrors the situation in Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemerovo, which collectively produced 5% of last year's grain harvest.

The vast Krasnoyarsk region in Russia declared a state of emergency on Thursday following heavy rains that killed winter crops during their sprouting period. The declaration adds the region to a growing list of affected areas in Siberia.

In early September, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemerovo regions also declared states of emergency. Collectively, these four regions contributed around 5% to last year's grain harvest in Russia, a leading global wheat exporter.

Sergei Ponomarenko, first vice governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, stated that the excessive rainfall and high soil moisture compromised the crops during sprouting. He estimated the area affected to be over 17,000 hectares, with preliminary financial damage surpassing 280 million roubles ($3 million).

Extreme weather has battered more than a dozen Russian grain-producing areas recently, from early spring frosts to droughts, impacting over 1.1 million hectares. Despite these setbacks, Russia maintains its grain harvest forecast at 132 million metric tons, a 10% decrease from the previous year, and an export forecast of 60 million tons. ($1 = 92.7000 roubles)

(With inputs from agencies.)