Monitoring, carried out by the Company's agronomists confirms the successful overwintering of both winter wheat — in various stages of development, including late sowings — and winter rapeseed. Germination tests of selected samples show a good level of plant survival. The risks of replanting are not currently being considered, but it will only be possible to finally assess the presence and extent of damage to the above-ground phytomass of rapeseed after the snow melts. For now, snow cover remains on a significant part of Continental's fields in the central regions of Ternopil, Khmelnytsky, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
"On the one hand, a stable snow cover of more than 10 cm (in some places even up to 30 cm) reliably protected our winter crops from freezing at fairly low temperatures this winter — down to -25°C", says Kostiantyn Shytiuk, Chief Operating Officer of Continental Farmers Group. "However, due to the prolonged snow cover and the potential risk of surface runoff in our hilly terrain in the event of rapid melting, nitrogen fertilization was not carried out in February, as it was in previous years. All operations are being postponed until March, which may increase the intensity of work in the second half of the month if fertilization, winter crop protection, and preparation for sowing spring crops coincide in one short window."
Continental notes that no rapid runoff has been recorded on its fields so far, thanks to unfrozen soil that absorbs meltwater. However, waterlogged soils after significant snowmelt may still create additional complications for the mass deployment of equipment in the fields if the weather does not allow them to dry out.
An important factor that will determine the course of the 2026 season will be the temperature regime in March and early April. It is the weather conditions that will set the pace of spring vegetation and form the optimal “window” for winter wheat tillering, and allow the potential of late sowing to be maximized.
It should be noted that in the structure of Continental Farmers Group's cultivated areas for the 2026 harvest, winter crops occupy 73 thousand hectares, including: winter rapeseed — 27.40 thousand hectares, winter wheat — 35.37 thousand hectares, winter barley — 10.28 thousand hectares. The Company allocates 108.1 thousand hectares for spring crops.