Russia nightmare as farmers 'seriously damaged' and key market slumps by 32.9%

Russian farmers are facing a crisis due to weather conditions (Image: Getty)

Russian farmers have been seriously damaged by hostile weather, in a situation so dire that it has led officials to consider emergency measures. Russian news service Interfax reports that frosts were observed in a number of regions of the Southern, Central and Volga Federal Districts in late April and early May. The Union of sugar producers of Russia, Soyuzrossakhar, wrote: "In the future, this may have a negative impact on plant development and harvest.

"Sugar beet crops in the Belgorod and Lipetsk regions suffered the most. According to preliminary estimates, the area of ​​sugar beet replanting may amount to more than 75 thousand hectares." Frosts in the Voronezh region caused "serious damage to local farmers", the regional government press service reported. Officials are now said to be planning to introduce a "regional emergency regime".

Russian farmers have been 'seriously damaged', according to reports (Image: Getty)

This will include insurance compensation for lost harvests, including fruit crops, and "justify the failure to meet planned production targets".

The frosts affected areas throughout the region on April 27, 28, 29 and May 3.

In areas that are low-lying, air and soil temperatures dropped as low as between -8 and -10C.

More than 30,000 hectares of crops were damaged, according to data, with sugar beet particularly impacted.

A local report stated: "The most severe consequences are for gardeners: up to 70% of fruit crop ovaries were lost in a number of farms.

"The total area of ​​damaged orchards and berry fields is more than 2,600 hectares, which is 44% of all fruit-bearing plantings in the region.

"This means that the fruit and berry harvest this year will be two times lower than expected."

Meanwhile, shipments of Russian-made agricultural machinery to the domestic market in the first quarter of 2025 decreased by 32.9% to 38.3 billion rubles, figures suggest.

Interfax adds that the largest decline was recorded as regards grain harvesters and agricultural tractors.

The deliveries of these between January and March dropped by 58.3% (to 437 units) and 39% (to 709 units), respectively.

Rosspetsmash, which describes itself as a "non-profit organization that brings together companies to lobby for the interests of the domestic purpose-built engineering industry", says the market is under pressure from the high key rate, and the profitability of agricultural business remains low.

Moreover, the state support measures for machine builders and farmers are said to be underfunded, and the cost of production of machinery and agricultural products is growing.