Nikolai Sherstnev directs Vitebsk agrarians towards a fundamental change in the sown area structure

Vitebsk region should fundamentally change the structure of its sown areas, focusing on obtaining the maximum amount of feed protein. This was stated by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, at a meeting of the committee.

"We must fundamentally change the structure of sown areas, selecting crops with a focus on obtaining the maximum amount of protein. The main goal is quality feed for livestock farming," said the head of the region. - Farms must achieve maximum milk yields and weight gains while reducing costs. You see how dependent we are on protein feeds. We don't grow soybeans, we buy them, and the price for one ton of soybean protein is now over $800, and for sunflower, it's over $200. With such expenses, the price of our final products is not competitive."

Nikolai Sherstnev emphasized that the region should determine a strategic direction for the development of the entire agricultural sector, and crop production in particular. "Crop production must fully provide livestock farming with feed, because we earn money from the sale of meat and milk," stated the governor. – The feed base must be formed to maximize the improvement of production efficiency."

Nikolai Sherstnev dwelled particularly on the issue of high milk yields and recalled that when he first started working in his first farm (it was in the Vitebsk region), the goal for farmers was to develop a program to obtain 4,000 kg of milk per cow. "Thirty years have passed, and Vitebsk region still does not achieve these 4,000 kg. We need to understand in detail why. We also need to analyze the experience of successful farms that get 7,000, 8,000, and even more than 9,000 kg per cow. What is the secret, why do some succeed and others don't?" asked the head of the region.

At the session of the regional executive committee, attended by the Chairman of the Committee of State Control of Belarus Leonid Anfimov, issues of preparation of agricultural organizations of the region for spring field work in 2016 are being considered in detail. In addition, the discussion covers the results of the implementation of the main directions of monetary policy of Belarus and the tasks of the banking system of the region for its further implementation, aimed at the economic development of the region.

Alena Tikhonova, BELTA.