Vitebsk region ranks second in the republic in terms of spring sowing pace
According to the republican target, our spring sowing area is 323 thousand hectares and has been sown by 71.4%.
In a conversation with journalists, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Boris Efremov noted that this year the weather has allowed work to be carried out on par with other regions of Belarus, although they started fieldwork a week and a half to two weeks earlier. The modern equipment purchased over the last three years plays an important role. New units are operating on almost half of the 10-12 thousand hectares sown daily with various crops.
Two days ago, the republican plan for sowing grain and leguminous crops (161 thousand hectares) was fulfilled. The regional target exceeds it by 43 thousand hectares, so the work will continue for some time. Flax is planned to be sown within the next week, and corn – by May 9. There is equipment, seeds, and fuel and lubricants to complete all the work.
For the 2019 harvest, 400-430 thousand hectares of spring and winter grain and leguminous crops are planned. To meet the needs of animal husbandry, it is necessary to obtain 850 thousand tons of feed, fulfill the state order of 115 thousand tons, and return 100 thousand tons to the state reserve, which were taken to support pig and poultry farming in the unfavorable years of 2017 and 2018.
The weather allows for high-speed sowing, but the lack of rain is concerning. There is still moisture in the fields, but it is insufficient.