Vitebsk region leads in fodder harvesting, ahead of other regions

Yesterday, an offsite meeting of the regional agricultural committee was held in the Verkhnedvinsk district. We asked Ivan Fedorov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Regional Executive Committee, to tell us what is the first item on the agenda for farmers.

– The meeting, which was attended by Leonid Adamovich Marinich, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and Viktor Vitalievich Askerko, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, summarized the results of fodder harvesting, considered readiness issues, and set tasks for grain harvesting and sowing of winter crops. In the practical part, Verkhne-Dvina District Agroservice shared its experience in creating inter-farm teams and organizing the repair of energy-intensive tractors. At JSC "Shaiterovo", the readiness of equipment, drying, weighing, and storage facilities was demonstrated. Special attention was paid to the adjustment of harvesters.

Overall, fodder harvesting in the region is proceeding at a good level. Currently, there are 14.3 centners of fodder units per conventional head of cattle (almost 2 centners of fodder units more than last year), which is the highest indicator in the country. The weather allows for full second cuttings. This year, we have sown 60 thousand hectares of annual grasses (last year – 12 thousand hectares). There are good prospects for corn, which occupies 74 thousand hectares. So, we will approach the stall period with a full fodder base.

– You have already mentioned inter-farm teams, which participated in fodder harvesting for the first time this year. What contribution did they make to grass harvesting?

– Inter-farm teams allowed agricultural enterprises with a weak technical base to harvest first-cut fodder. They account for 500 thousand tons of silage, or 25% of the total amount. Such units will continue to operate. We are also using the experience of inter-farm teams in the grain harvesting campaign. They are being created on the basis of Dubrovno, Vitebsk, Verkhne-Dvina District Agroservices, Zapadno-Dvina MRS, and Vitebsk MEZ. Harvesters will

to be directed to assist in those areas and farms where there is a high workload per unit of equipment.

A total of 354 thousand hectares of grain and leguminous crops and 58 thousand hectares of rapeseed are to be harvested. For the first decade of harvesting, there are 10 thousand tons of fuel. Negotiations are underway with Belneftekhim on the supply of 15 thousand tons with deferred payment under a guarantee of grain or other product supplies.

– Will townspeople help the villagers?

– For the harvesting period, enterprises and organizations from cities and district centers will second about a thousand machine operators and drivers to assist the agricultural sector. A total of more than 7 thousand people will be involved in the harvesting.

Sergey Lyashuk, Vitebskiye Vesti.