One-third of winter crop areas in parts of Ukraine remain unsown due to drought

of central regions — and locally in Odesa — led to waterlogged soils, hampering fieldwork. In contrast, severe drought persisted in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Experts noted that by early October, the optimal sowing window for winter crops had closed across the country, with about one-third of planned areas in eastern, southern, and central regions left unsown due to insufficient soil moisture. Although recent rains slightly improved conditions for early vegetation, they did not significantly restore soil moisture. In previously sown fields of Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, wheat seeds have failed to germinate for nearly a month because of the drought. ...