Russia reduces wheat acreage

been trending downward for several seasons as producers reassess planting decisions. SovEcon also forecasts a further decline in spring wheat area in 2026 to 10.7 million hectares, down from 11.1 million hectares in 2025 and 12.3 million hectares in 2024. As a result, total wheat acreage in Russia could fall to 26.3 million hectares in 2026 from 26.9 million hectares a year earlier, reflecting continued pressure on farm margins following the introduction of export levies. Grain producers’ profitability has deteriorated sharply in recent years. SovEcon estimates that pre-tax profits in the grain sector in January–September 2025 dropped to 69 billion rubles, compared with 93 billion rubles a year earlier and 181 billion rubles in 2021. The worsening financial situation has prompted farmers to cut back on wheat plantings and reconsider crop rotations. At the same time, Russia’s competitors in the global wheat market are expanding acreage. Ukraine’s winter wheat area reached 4.7 ...