Early sunflower harvesting in the Rostov region was affected by unfavorable weather conditions: low temperatures and scorching hot summer caused problems.

Field crops have suffered from the harmful effects of both low temperatures and scorching summer heat.

The sunflower harvesting process in the Don region is earlier than usual. This crop has been affected by the harmful consequences of spring frosts and hot summer. The tops of the plants dried out due to lack of moisture, creating a rumble, while the plant itself remained green. Farmers are not making forecasts yet, as the first batch of 40,000 tons has already been sent. Nevertheless, they hope that their efforts will influence the final results. More detailed information can be found in the program "Vesti. Don".

The month of August is unusual for sunflower harvesting. Typically, farms in the region only assess by the end of the summer whether the earliest varieties are ready to ripen.

Gadzhiramazan Vagabov, general director of LLC "Zarya," says: "We have already harvested 279 hectares of oilseed sunflower. When in previous years we were just starting to decide whether to harvest it or wait a little longer."

The reason for the early harvesting is linked to high summer temperatures. Even for sunflower, which is an amateur culture, they were too high.

Gadzhiramazan Vagabov adds: "We had strong wind and good heat. The heat dried the upper part of the plant, and the wind created a fan effect. The tops dried out, while the stem remained green."

The damages vary depending on the field and even within the same field. Therefore, humidity is regularly monitored, as it is critical. Even a slight excess of the norm can lead to crop spoilage. The main question is whether anything will be preserved. Unfavorable weather conditions cannot fail to affect crop yields.

Gadzhiramazan Vagabov comments: "Of course, the harvest will be worse than in previous years. But not as bad as I expected."

This pertains to the southern part of the region. Also, in the central districts, farms have started harvesting sunflower, but the results there are a bit more modest.

Igor Antoshin, deputy head of the Department of Agriculture and Food Processing Industry of the Oktyabrsky District Administration, reports: "The preliminary yield ranges from 14 to 16 centners per hectare. Comparing with last year, a decrease of 30-40% can be predicted."

Another unfavorable factor should also be taken into account. The formation of the sunflower crop was negatively affected not only by the dry summer period but also by the weakened seed germination due to spring frosts.

Igor Antoshin concludes: "It is still too early to draw conclusions about how the crop will perform this year. Currently, mainly damaged and less productive areas are being harvested. Out of the total sown area of 900 thousand hectares, only a quarter has been harvested. The first batch of 40 thousand tons has already been dispatched. Mass sunflower harvesting will start in September."