Russia Plants 1.3 Million Hectares of Spring Wheat, Risking Lower Harvests
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 15
Russia Plants 1.3 Million Hectares of Spring Wheat, Risking Lower Harvests
8 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 15
Russia had planted 1.3 million hectares of spring wheat in its southern region as of last week, less than half the area sown at the same point a year earlier.
Heavy rains and colder-than-usual weather caused what traders described as the worst start to spring planting in many years, slowing fieldwork in the world’s top wheat exporter.
The delays raise the risk of a smaller wheat harvest if planting stays behind schedule, tightening attention on Russian supply in global grain markets.
While Russia’s harvest failure threatens global supply, are its own small farms facing a quiet collapse?
As its crucial wheat harvest falters, can Russia still leverage fertilizer dominance for geopolitical gain?
With Russia's harvest at risk and global supplies already tight, is the world heading for a food crisis?
Russia’s 2026 Wheat Production Set to Fall Below 85 Million Tons: Economic Shifts, Climate Risks, and Global Market Impacts
Overview
Russia's 2026 wheat outlook is shaped by a mix of weather challenges and shifting economic priorities. Heavy rains initially delayed winter crop planting, causing a lag, but improved precipitation in October helped speed up the process. However, prolonged dry weather from September to November left soil moisture low, hurting crop establishment. At the same time, farmers are planting less wheat and more profitable oilseeds, leading to a reduced wheat area overall. These factors—weather setbacks and a move toward higher-margin crops—are expected to lower Russia's wheat production in 2026 compared to previous years.