In the Vitebsk region, 21 dairy farms will be commissioned this year

August 1, Vitebsk / Sergei Kochetov - BELTA /. Twenty-one dairy farms will be commissioned in 2010 in the Vitebsk region, Vladimir Masherov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Regional Executive Committee, told a BELTA correspondent. About Br400 billion is allocated for the construction of agro-industrial complex facilities, mainly preferential bank loans, of which over 82.5% have been utilized. Five modern farms have already been commissioned, and work on the remaining facilities is in the final stage. The agricultural facilities are being built according to four standard designs and are designed for year-round housing of over 14,000 head of cattle. Three farms are planned to be equipped with robotic milking systems. In total, there are over 980 dairy farms in the region, 49 of which are equipped with milking parlors. In accordance with the program for the development of agriculture in the Vitebsk region for the period up to 2015, which is currently being developed by the Regional Executive Committee, the construction of an additional 108 modern dairy farms is planned. Currently, the region's farms are preparing facilities for the winter housing period, with about 77% of the farms already ready for winter. Work is still ongoing at the remaining facilities, including their re-equipment, installation of refrigerators and milk pipelines. Farms are also preparing to operate under the requirements of the new regulation on milk production, which will come into force on January 1, 2011. As of August 1, the number of dairy cows in the farms of the Vitebsk region is 200.6 thousand, an increase of 3% compared to the same period in 2009. -0-