In the Vitebsk region, they plan to harvest grain by the end of August
People working the land know well that there is no easy bread. But this is especially true for the Vitebsk region. For the first time in a long time, the harvest began two weeks earlier, but torrential rains have returned – a real scourge during the harvest season, when not only every sunny day, but every minute counts. The land in the region is heavy; after downpours, there is nothing for machinery to do in the fields for three to four days. The weather is drier in Dubrovno, Tolochin, and Orsha. In the central part of the region – Polotsk district, Ushachi, Glubokoye, Postavy – for two weeks now, the grain growers have been living from morning till night in anticipation, catching every break in the weather.
Yesterday, on the approach to Gorodok, on the lands of OAO "Severny," six combines were ready to harvest the remnants of winter hybrid rye, only 50 hectares. For the first time in three years that it has been sown here, it has lodged, says the director of the enterprise, Sergey Titov:
— The weather, of course, is slowing down the work. It rained on Thursday and Friday; on Saturday afternoon, we threshed 200 tons, and on Sunday, it rained again. Hybrid rye always stood even in the rain. But here, out of 400 hectares, about 150 have lodged. We managed to harvest most of it, but a combine moves slowly through such a field: instead of 15-20 hectares, it harvests a maximum of 7-8. We now need half a day of good weather with wind to clear this field.
However, the average yield in the farm is high – 40 centners per hectare. And not only here; there is growth throughout the region. The average is currently 31.4 centners per hectare. The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolay Sherstnyov, believes that the final harvest will be excellent:
— Vitebsk agrarians are not spoiled by the weather; one year is not like another. Each season is difficult in its own way; it's not for nothing that people say – "the battle for bread." The current conditions are not just contrasting; they are anomalous. Nevertheless, 60% of the areas have already been harvested. As of the morning of August 13, a full supply of food grain has been procured. More than 60% of the state order has been fulfilled; the rest is being processed at farms and grain processing plants. Now the task is to harvest what remains. This is mainly feed grain; it is important to obtain quality feed here. I can say that previous years were no easier, perhaps even more difficult – in the sense that machinery could not enter the field. Now we needa day of sunny weather, and everything will work out.
In normal weather, we need 12-14 days. In principle, the region has always finished harvesting this way. If we harvest the grain by September 1, it means we will get the food grain without losses, and the fodder grain with minimal losses.
What makes the current harvest strikingly different from previous ones? According to Nikolai Sherstnev, in each district, there are farms that have managed to achieve high yields. There are fields where 20 centners per hectare – and this, it must be admitted, is the result of a complete lack of technology. And there are fields where yields of 70, 80, and even individual plots this year reached up to 120 centners per hectare. It should be emphasized: the year is unfavorable, but the figures are impressive. Nikolai Sherstnev is confident that this is just the beginning:
— We decided this way: if we cannot complete the entire volume of work within the agro-technical terms with a full range of fertilizers, we will create a "leader's field" or "agronomist's field" in each farm. Where everything must be done as it should be. To make sure that high yields can be obtained in the Vitebsk region. This is probably the most important thing – to convince people that we can achieve high yields and a high gross grain harvest.
The gross harvest currently exceeds last year's figures, and the yield is also better. All that remains is to wait for good weather.
Yesterday, on the approach to Gorodok, on the lands of OAO "Severny," six combines were ready to harvest the remnants of winter hybrid rye, only 50 hectares. For the first time in three years that it has been sown here, it has lodged, says the director of the enterprise, Sergey Titov:
— The weather, of course, is slowing down the work. It rained on Thursday and Friday; on Saturday afternoon, we threshed 200 tons, and on Sunday, it rained again. Hybrid rye always stood even in the rain. But here, out of 400 hectares, about 150 have lodged. We managed to harvest most of it, but a combine moves slowly through such a field: instead of 15-20 hectares, it harvests a maximum of 7-8. We now need half a day of good weather with wind to clear this field.
However, the average yield in the farm is high – 40 centners per hectare. And not only here; there is growth throughout the region. The average is currently 31.4 centners per hectare. The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolay Sherstnyov, believes that the final harvest will be excellent:
— Vitebsk agrarians are not spoiled by the weather; one year is not like another. Each season is difficult in its own way; it's not for nothing that people say – "the battle for bread." The current conditions are not just contrasting; they are anomalous. Nevertheless, 60% of the areas have already been harvested. As of the morning of August 13, a full supply of food grain has been procured. More than 60% of the state order has been fulfilled; the rest is being processed at farms and grain processing plants. Now the task is to harvest what remains. This is mainly feed grain; it is important to obtain quality feed here. I can say that previous years were no easier, perhaps even more difficult – in the sense that machinery could not enter the field. Now we needa day of sunny weather, and everything will work out.
In normal weather, we need 12-14 days. In principle, the region has always finished harvesting this way. If we harvest the grain by September 1, it means we will get the food grain without losses, and the fodder grain with minimal losses.
What makes the current harvest strikingly different from previous ones? According to Nikolai Sherstnev, in each district, there are farms that have managed to achieve high yields. There are fields where 20 centners per hectare – and this, it must be admitted, is the result of a complete lack of technology. And there are fields where yields of 70, 80, and even individual plots this year reached up to 120 centners per hectare. It should be emphasized: the year is unfavorable, but the figures are impressive. Nikolai Sherstnev is confident that this is just the beginning:
— We decided this way: if we cannot complete the entire volume of work within the agro-technical terms with a full range of fertilizers, we will create a "leader's field" or "agronomist's field" in each farm. Where everything must be done as it should be. To make sure that high yields can be obtained in the Vitebsk region. This is probably the most important thing – to convince people that we can achieve high yields and a high gross grain harvest.
The gross harvest currently exceeds last year's figures, and the yield is also better. All that remains is to wait for good weather.