The mass sowing of spring grain crops in Belarus has been completed within the optimal timeframe

April 25, Minsk /BELTA/. In Belarus, as planned, the mass sowing of spring grain and leguminous crops (excluding corn) was completed by April 25, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food told BELTA. According to specialists, it was carried out within optimal agronomical terms. Grain crops have been sown on 1 million 15.5 thousand hectares, which is 100.2% of the plan. As of the same date last year, 85% had been sown. In the Grodno, Gomel, and Brest regions, sowing exceeded the plan by 9%, 2.6%, and 1.1%, respectively. Sowing is being completed in the Minsk region – 1.3% remains, mainly leguminous crops. In the Vitebsk region, another 8% needs to be sown. Daily sowing rates for grain crops are about 5%, so sowing will be completed there within the next two days. For this purpose, energy-intensive machinery is operated in two shifts. Overall in Belarus, spring crops occupy 1 million 394 thousand hectares, which is 60.2% of the plan. The highest sowing rates are in the Grodno region, where spring crops have been sown on 67% of the planned area. In the Gomel region, about 61% has been sown, in Minsk – 61.6%, in Brest – 60.4%, in Mogilev – 55.8%, and in Vitebsk – 54.8%. Farms have been tasked with completing the sowing of spring crops, except for heat-loving ones such as corn, buckwheat, soybeans, and sunflowers, by April 28. Sowing of spring barley is nearing completion – it occupies 518.5 thousand hectares, or 98.6%. Farms in the Brest, Vitebsk, and Gomel regions have completed sowing barley. Brewing barley has been sown on 85.7 thousand hectares, including 84.9 thousand hectares in raw material zones, which is 101.5% of the plan. Agricultural organizations in the Gomel region have increased the area under brewing barley by a quarter. Sowing areas for this crop have also increased in the Brest, Grodno, and Minsk regions. Sowing of spring rapeseed continues – only 5% has been sown so far, and in total its sowing this year will cover 27 thousand hectares, including winter rapeseed – over 400 thousand hectares, which will fully meet the domestic market's needs for rapeseed for the food industry and allow for some to be used for compound feed production. Sugar beet has been sown on 72.2 thousand hectares, which is 78.2% of the plan. Agricultural organizations in the Grodno region are completing its sowing first, where it already occupies 90% of the planned area. Sowing of corn, vegetable crops, and potato planting are underway. According to the calculations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, sugar beet sowing will be completed by May 7, and potato and vegetable crop planting should be completed around the same time. Work needs to be accelerated due to dry weather, which is causing the soil to lose moisture intensively. The second top dressing of winter grain crops is underway – this work has been carried out on 253 thousand hectares, which is 19.5% of the plan. Top dressing of winter rapeseed has been completed. -0-