KIEV, UKRAINE — Severe drought has slowed Ukraine’s 2020-21 winter wheat sowing to the slowest for the at least the last 10 years, Reuters reported.

Farmers could extend planting into December. Only 1.5 million hectares, or 25%, of the expected winter area had been sown as of Sept. 28, Ukraine’s economy ministry said in its first official information released on Sept. 29.

Last year, farmers had sown 2.9 million hectares by this time, and in 2015, under the same weather conditions, farmers had sown 2.8 million hectares, APK-Inform said.

Analysts said a very late sowing created risks of a decrease in yields if winter comes while crops are still underdeveloped, Reuters said.