Vitebsk region plans to harvest 1.5 million tons of grain in 2010

December 18, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA /. The agro-industrial complex of the Vitebsk region must ensure a grain harvest of 1.5 million tons in 2010. This task was set today by the chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Kosinets, at a session of the regional council of deputies, a BELTA correspondent reports. The key to a good harvest in 2010 should be the significant work on modernization and increasing the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex economy, carried out in the outgoing year, the head of the region noted. Thus, about 113 thousand hectares of arable land were additionally put into circulation, almost 2.7 thousand units of equipment were purchased, which made it possible to significantly improve the quality of farming and harvest a record 1 million 174 thousand tons of grain in the last decade. 1 million 154 thousand feed units from grasses were harvested, which is 25% higher than the result of 2008, this makes it possible to effectively solve the issues of livestock development. In the agro-industrial complex, the gross output growth rate by the end of the year will be 109-110% in the public sector, however, a decrease in this indicator in households will not allow the annual forecast to be fulfilled for the industry as a whole. In the coming year, it is necessary to pay close attention to the development of households, Alexander Kosinets emphasized. By the end of the year, 45 agro-towns and 21 dairy farms will be commissioned in the region. At the same time, less potatoes and fodder root crops were harvested, and 40% less flax products were received at flax mills for processing than in 2008. Up to 500 thousand hectares are planned to be allocated for sowing areas in 2010, and a grain harvest of 1.5 million tons must be ensured. In addition, work on modernizing the APK enterprises will continue, it is planned to purchase over 2.8 thousand units of equipment, and build 50 modern grain drying complexes. The chairman of the regional executive committee also considers it necessary to continue work on deepening the specialization of farms and putting things in order on the land. In addition, a lot of work needs to be done on the technical re-equipment of livestock farming. "All conditions for fulfilling the set tasks in the region are available, only a clear system of organization and management is needed," believes the chairman of the regional executive committee. -0-