Crop Update

[charliep]

Just a note to ask people to update me on crop conditions. Have been away for a month and getting updated again. Include your general location.

I can comments on crops in the Ukraine (at least the south in the Kherson/Odessa regions). Weather was wet and cool for June so good for grain/oilseed crops and not so good for vegetables/fruit/corn (major part of what they grow in these areas). More barley grown here this year because of drought/lack of winter wheat seed. Crops in full head with harvest about a month away. Ukraine will be a major exporter of feed barley this year (no repeat of last years good feed barley export opportunities this fall). I watched a boat being loaded with feed barley in Odessa.

My project over there was to work with a credit union in Kherson that is working with farmers to set up cooperatives. The main project was trying to set up pig cooperatives for smaller farmers (household farms). That is arrange on a community basis the buying of good quality weaners, properly balanced rations/assistance with feeding/health advice and group marketing. To put things in perspective, these operations are anywhere from 5 to 50 hogs. There will be similar activities for grain and vegetables.

My maintain contribution came to helping the credit union work on a business plan for this proposal.

Interesting comment is that they are facing the same issues western Canadian farmers are with the exception of being smaller operations, old/worn out equipment and no government support of any kind (in fact, the other way where the government is a drag on their business with land ownership issues delayed another 2 years to 2007).

I met with farmer groups who are being very progressive in their marketing. Mainly vegetables into Europe but are also looking at alternatives for grain.

[cropduster]

Interesting,Charlie,about the credit union.Is this mainly backed by agriculturalists(farmers) and then ultimately insured by the government?A local town here in east central Ab. is now finally exploring this option too.Surprisingly also in an area where there is no democratic municipal government.Your work and trip must have been intriguing.

[charliep]

Interesting enough, the credit union started as an urban one in Kherson. Small farmers (actually farmners in general of all sizes) were not able to get credit for even planting crops. The credit union (actual the manager - a woman of leadership/vision) saw the opportunity/need to lend to farmers. She placed credit officers in the communities and began a lending program (operating only - no medium/long term). She is committed to rural development and using the credit union/cooperative model to achieve. Other activities that the credit union is involved include 4-H club development (same as here), extension activities (no government involvement in farmer training) and eco tourism (getting communities to indentify and highlight region attractions to bring tourists to the area). She is also getting her team to look at cooperatives (get farmers to work together buying inputs/selling together firstly and bringing value added businesses in down the road). All these activities are just getting with the support of the Infernational Financial Corporation providing technical assistance (through Canadian International Development Agency funding in the case of Canada). There is virtually no Ukranian government financial involvement at any level (national, provincial/state or municipal) or government guarantees. It is people who take on community leadership who push these projects.

Just to note, interest rates on operating loans vary from 32 to 44 % per year (these numbers are real and not a mistake) with interest rates in previous years as high as 90 % (if you could get it). I can't image paying 3 to 4 %/month interest but people do it. Machinery loans are close to impossible to get. If you can't afford to pay cash for equipment, you can't afford it.

[Braveheart]

Charlie, crops in southern MB are variable. Most have had too much rain and are suffering. Poor color is predominate in spring wheat and barley. Disease in spring wheat, primarily tan spot, is rampant. Canola is ranging from poor to average depending on seeding date. We need heat badly. All crops are far behind in terms of crop development.

Braveheart

[cowman]

In central alberta things are looking good! Canola crops are exceptional and so is the barley. Maybe need some rain pretty soon, but barring that we are headed toward a bumper crop!

[les]

90 miles east of red deer our crops are getting close to a write off.

[hgb]

Sixty miles north east of Red Deer crops have had enough to get off to a good start,but need rain immediately as the heat of the last couple of days has damaged the crops some already. Head ten miles west crops and grass are better,but go ten east(across highway 21) and some pasture has basically never gotten green and crop emergance was spotty.(very dismal looking canola crops)