PARIS: The European Union’s crop monitoring service MARS on Monday projected Russia’s 2022 wheat crop would rise 16% from last year’s level, citing favourable weather conditions benefiting both area and yields.

In a report, MARS estimated the Russian wheat harvest at 88.8 million tonnes, a new record, including 66.6 million tonnes of winter wheat, up 24% on last year, and 22.2 million tonnes of spring wheat, down 2%. “Due to the positive yield outlook combined with the increased area of winter wheat, overall, a new record-high production of soft wheat is expected,” MARS said.

Russia’s 2022 wheat harvest would be 11% above the five-year average. MARS pointed to favourable weather conditions around sowing in the autumn, negligible frost kill damage during winter, and adequate rainfall and colder-than-usual spring temperatures.

However, a persistent rain deficit followed by thermal stress in June was expected to have slightly negatively affected yields in Siberia and in southern parts of European Russia, it said.

MARS projected Russia’s barley crop at 19.7 million tonnes, up 7% from 2021, including 2.8 million tonnes of winter barley, down 2% from last year, and 16.9 million tonnes of spring barley, up 9% on 2021.

The crop monitor also pegged the grain maize harvest at 16.7 million tonnes, up 8% from last year.