Why can Mongolia produce only one crop each year in most farming areas?

In Mongolia, the ability to produce crops is significantly constrained by the country's harsh environmental conditions. Specifically, the region experiences long, cold winters that limit the growing season, making it possible to harvest only a single annual crop in most farming areas.1

This limitation is a direct result of Mongolia's pronounced continental climate, which is characterized by high latitudes and elevations, as well as a significant distance from the moderating influences of the ocean. These factors contribute to extreme temperature variations and severe weather, which restrict intensive agricultural activities. Consequently, agricultural production is concentrated in the wetter northern valleys, where farmers primarily focus on grains such as spring wheat, barley, and oats, alongside potatoes and fodder crops.231