The average contour area of arable land in the Vitebsk region will increase to 20 hectares by the end of 2012

December 23, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Land reclamation and shrub clearing on agricultural land totaling 100 thousand hectares are planned for 2011 in the Vitebsk region. Deputies of the Vitebsk Regional Council approved the regional program "Clean Fields" for the next year at an extraordinary session today, a BELTA correspondent reports. The necessity of carrying out these works is due to the fulfillment of planned volumes of crop production and forecast indicators in the agro-industrial complex. As a result of the implementation of the "Clean Fields" program, it is envisaged to increase the productivity of arable land to 5.7 tons of feed units per hectare in 2011. Enlarging fields and increasing the average contour of agricultural land will increase the productivity of 1 hectare by 20-25%. Br25 billion will be allocated from the regional budget for the implementation of the planned measures. As Sergey Dogel, Chairman of the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, informed the deputies, until 2009, practically no work was carried out in the region to clear shrubs on agricultural land. The completeness of the hectare was only 80%. In 2009-2010, order was established and 100% hectare completeness was ensured on 92 thousand hectares. As of January 1 of the current year, agricultural organizations use 1336 thousand hectares of agricultural land, including 776 thousand hectares of arable land. The average contour of agricultural land in the region is 5.7 hectares, and arable land is 8.7 hectares. The implementation of the "Clean Fields" program will continue in 2012, which will allow by the end of this period to ensure an average contour of arable land of 15-20 hectares. Increasing the contour provides savings in fuel and lubricants by 30%, and reduces the consumption of seeds, fertilizers, and plant protection products by approximately 10%. In addition, the use of shrub vegetation for the production of fuel chips allows for energy savings of 15-20%. -0-