Republic
24.04.2006
Belarus will complete the mass grain sowing campaign by May 1, Viktor Kornev, head of the food and agriculture ministry's plant cultivation department, told BelTA. According to the source, the ministry defined the grain sowing deadline for every region. In Brest and Gomel regions the work is to be finished on April 25-27, Grodno and Minsk regions – April 28-May 1, Mogilev region – May 3, Vitebsk region – May 5.
So far the spring grain crops have been sowed on 551,000 hectares, over 52 per cent of the planned area. Therefore, the sowing equator has been passed. Yesterday over 43,000 hectares were sown. As from today the sowing rate should be doubled, the specialist believes. The weather is favourable in most regions.
Commenting on the sowing progress in every region, Viktor Kornev noted, Brest region agricultural organisations have around 11 per cent of the target area to sow, Gomel region – 22 per cent. According to estimations of the food and agriculture ministry, Brest region will complete the grain sowing campaign on April 25, Gomel region – April 26-27. The sowing progress meter shows 59 per cent and 57.5 per cent in Minsk and Grodno regions respectively. This week the regions will have to sow 8-10 per cent of the remaining area daily. Vitebsk and Mogilev regions have sown 18.3 per cent and 17.3 per cent of the necessary area respectively. To complete the sowing by May 3-5, the regions will have to sow at least 10 per cent daily, emphasised the source.
Though this year the optimal grain sowing campaign period was shifted due to late spring, Belarusian farmers are doing their best to complete the sowing as soon as possible.
It is especially important to finish sowing spring wheat on time, noted Viktor Kornev. Spring wheat has been sown on 80,700 hectares, 54.2 per cent of the target area. Brest region has nearly completed it – 93 per cent while Gomel region has sown only 76 per cent of the target area. In Minsk and Grodno regions, which have the most of the spring wheat sowing area, the figures are 59 per cent and 65 per cent respectively.
This year the grain yield is expected to make 8 million tons thanks to better productivity. To reach the goal, this year Belarusian farmers use only high quality seeds. The seeds were planted in a well-prepared and cultivated soil: this year the farmers used 20 per cent of mineral fertilisers more than usual. The productivity is expected to make at least 40 centners per hectare.
The source noted, the pace of industrial crop sowing (flax, rape, and sugar beet) should be accelerated as well. The optimal period deadline is May 5. So far 3,270 hectares of soil have been sown with spring rape, 8.4 per cent of the targeted area. The sowing goes on alongside with fertilisation. The flax area makes 8,300 hectares, 12 per cent of the target. The sugar beet has been sown and 13,500 hectares (12 per cent).
Winter grain crops and winter rape needs constant attention. On the whole, nitrogen fertilisers have been used on 1,130,000 hectares of perennial grasses, hayfields, and pastures, 89 per cent of the planned area.