Vitebsk region farmers to grow more grasses and winter cereals - Nikolai Sherstnev

Vitebsk region should focus on fodder crops in crop production. This is dictated by the natural and climatic conditions, and scientists insist on it. At the republican selector meeting on crop harvesting, the head of state reminded the region's leadership of the need to cultivate profitable crops that allow for efficient land management. What has been done in this direction, how is the structure of sown areas changing, and what is the priority? Vitebsk journalists addressed these questions to the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, during a meeting in the region's fields.

- Nikolai Nikolaevich, what crops will help increase the efficiency of agriculture in the Vitebsk region?

- We can judge the profitability of agriculture by the final result - the cost of meat and milk. Weight gain and milk yield, of course, depend on feed. The maximum amount of feed should be obtained from our own fields. The Vitebsk region is characterized by excessive soil moisture. Grasses grow well in such conditions. And this natural factor cannot be ignored. We are expanding the areas under clover. Over the past two years, we have been sowing about 120 thousand hectares of clover in pure stands annually. This is approximately 13-14% of the arable land. We plan to increase this figure to 15%. Moreover, clover is an excellent predecessor for grain crops. And this, in turn, leads to increased yield and quality of grain, which is also important for us.

- Will the region's grain acreage increase or decrease?

- The grain acreage will not decrease. We will maintain it at the level of 400 thousand hectares. Why? The calculation is simple. By ensuring optimal crop rotation and high technological standards for grain cultivation, we will be able to obtain a gross harvest of 1.5-1.6 million tons of grain. Grain is bread, grain is feed (the same fodder), grain is a commodity that can be exported to generate resources for purchasing fertilizers, fuel, and machinery. The indicated volume of grain will be sufficient to cover all these positions.

- Which grain crops are prioritized?

- In the spring crop group, we will reduce barley and

oats (instead, we will increase the sowing of fodder crops such as peas). At the same time, we will significantly expand the areas for winter cereals. These crops grow well here, and we always have problems with spring crops due to soil peculiarities. They are clayey here. If it rains in the spring, we cannot enter the fields and sow within the optimal timeframe. If it is dry, we have problems due to lack of moisture. Therefore, the main work on sowing cereals should be carried out in the autumn.

- Corn is an important fodder crop. What about it?

- As I already said, perennial grasses form the basis of the region's fodder table. They grow well here reliably. In the current season, the region has already procured almost 60% of the required amount of grass fodder. For a conditional head of cattle, there are more than 15 centners of fodder units. This is the best indicator in the republic. We have not yet started harvesting corn. Working with this crop in the Vitebsk region is quite difficult. We have determined the minimum area required for ourselves. By growing corn in relatively small territories, we will work on increasing its yield. Corn in the Vitebsk region can be replaced by payza (Japanese millet). This annual cereal crop is successfully cultivated in some farms in the region.

- When will the Vitebsk region have an optimal structure of sown areas?

- Very soon. If we sow the planned volume of winter cereals this year, then next spring we will be able to achieve the planned structure we talked about. And now we are doing everything to ensure that this autumn and next spring become fundamental in changing the sown areas. Further, we will only have to work on the quality indicator, that is, to increase the yield.

Alena TIKHONOVA, BELTA. Photo by "Vitebskiye vesti".