In the Vitebsk region, 45% of grain and leguminous crops have been harvested

August 7, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. In the Vitebsk region, 45% of grain and leguminous crops have been harvested, the Agriculture and Food Committee of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee informed a BELTA correspondent. As of the morning of August 7, 219.4 thousand hectares of grain crops have been mowed in the region. The total harvest, with an average yield of 32.5 centners per hectare, amounted to 712.8 thousand tons of grain. The highest yields are still recorded in the Verkhnedvinsk (38.2 centners/ha), Orsha (37 centners/ha) and Chashniki (36 centners/ha) districts. Farmers in Beshenkovichi, Vitebsk, Glubokoye, Gorodok, Dokshitsy, Dubrovno, Lepel, Liozno, Miory, Polotsk, Postavy, Tolochin, Ushachi, Sharkovshchina and Shumilino districts are harvesting more than 30 centners per hectare. Extensive preparatory work has been done to achieve this result, specialists emphasized. The harvesting campaign is progressing most actively in the Beshenkovichi, Glubokoye, Dokshitsy, Lepel, Postavy and Chashniki districts, where 50% to 59% of the areas have already been harvested. Farms in the Verkhnedvinsk, Polotsk and Sharkovshchina districts are preparing to overcome the 50% mark. The average rate of grain harvesting in the region is about 4%. Favorable weather conditions largely contribute to the active work, which the rural workers are trying to use as productively as possible, as rains are expected in the region from the second half of the current week, according to weather forecasters. The fact that the grain harvested now has optimal moisture content of 10-15% also spurs farmers on. To some extent, this also reduces the load on grain drying complexes: they are loaded but operate in a gentle mode with an emphasis on grain cleaning. Significant attention is paid to the quality of harvesting, the regional agricultural department added. For example, combine operators adjust and fine-tune the equipment twice a day, and combines are equipped with stalk lifters. Control functions are carried out by working groups specially created in the districts, which monitor the progress of the harvest. If significant losses are detected among combine crews, these crews will be removed from the production competition. So far, no such cases have been identified.