Millions of tonnes of crops might be lost to flooding in south of Ukraine

Several millions of tonnes of Ukrainian crops might be lost as a result of the flooding caused by Russian forces blowing up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP); 100,000 tonnes of crops have already been lost on the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast.

Source: Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food

Details: Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, has said that the soil in flooded areas has to undergo agrarian and ecological evaluation after the flood water recedes. It is likely that in most cases, measures will have to be taken to restore the soil.

According to Vysotskyi, two types of crops were grown in those areas: vegetables and gourds, and grains and oilseeds (soybeans, corn, sunflower, and wheat).

"Growing vegetables is impossible without an irrigation water supply. An extensive model will be used to grow grain and oilseeds, and the yields will be low," he added.

Vysotskyi stressed that it is still difficult to determine the losses that areas of Kherson Oblast located on the left bank of the Dnipro River have suffered or will suffer [the left bank is occupied by Russian forces - ed.]. The officials know that up to several hundred thousand tonnes of grain were stored in those areas. Over 100,000 tonnes of crops have been lost on Dnipro’s right bank.

The biggest threat to international food security is the impossibility of growing millions tonnes of grains and oilseeds without irrigation.

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