Farms in the southern districts of the Vitebsk region have selectively begun sowing spring grain crops

Sowing operations are being carried out by three farms in the Dokshytsy district and one agricultural enterprise in the Lepel district. A total of about 13 hectares have been sown. This year, a late spring is hindering large-scale spring field work, forcing farmers to mobilize resources to complete the sowing campaign within a tight timeframe. Under these conditions, farms are striving to use all opportunities to start sowing as early as possible, while strictly adhering to all technological work regulations. If weather conditions in the region are favorable, large-scale sowing is planned to begin next week. According to specialists from the regional agricultural and food committee, farms are ready for the start of sowing operations. As of April 5, about 6.7 million tons of organic fertilizers have been applied to the fields (96% of the target), which is about 140% of the figure for the same period in 2010. Potash fertilizers have been applied to an area of 72 thousand hectares, or 11% of the target. All districts of the region have begun seed treatment. Farms are carrying out undersowing of perennial grasses to winter cereals (about 36.6 thousand hectares have been undersown, or 78% of the target), as well as top-dressing of early pastures with nitrogen fertilizers. In the Vitebsk region, spring grain and leguminous crops are planned to be sown on an area of about 257 thousand hectares, 20 thousand hectares are allocated for flax, spring rapeseed will be sown on 13.1 thousand hectares, and corn crops will occupy 100 thousand hectares. In addition, for the 2011 harvest, winter grain crops have been sown on an area of over 240 thousand hectares, with winter wheat and triticale accounting for almost 70% of the winter acreage. Winter rapeseed occupies almost 87 thousand hectares, and its sown area has expanded by more than 15% compared to 2010. -0- April 5, Vitebsk /Sergey Kochetov - BELTA/. Farms in the southern districts of the Vitebsk region have selectively begun sowing early spring grain crops, the agriculture and food committee of the regional executive committee informed a BELTA correspondent. Sowing operations are being carried out by three farms in the Dokshytsy district and one agricultural enterprise in the Lepel district. A total of about 13 hectares have been sown. This year, a late spring is hindering large-scale spring field work, forcing farmers to mobilize resources to complete the sowing campaign within a tight timeframe. Under these conditions, farms are striving to use all opportunities to start sowing as early as possible, while strictly adhering to all technological work regulations. If weather conditions in the region are favorable, large-scale sowing is planned to begin next week. According to specialists from the regional agricultural and food committee, farms are ready for the start of sowing operations. As of April 5, about 6.7 million tons of organic fertilizers have been applied to the fields (96% of the target), which is about 140% of the figure for the same period in 2010. Potash fertilizers have been applied to an area of 72 thousand hectares, or 11% of the target. All districts of the region have begun seed treatment. Farms are carrying out undersowing of perennial grasses to winter cereals (about 36.6 thousand hectares have been undersown, or 78% of the target), as well as top-dressing of early pastures with nitrogen fertilizers. In the Vitebsk region, spring grain and leguminous crops are planned to be sown on an area of about 257 thousand hectares, 20 thousand hectares are allocated for flax, spring rapeseed will be sown on 13.1 thousand hectares, and corn crops will occupy 100 thousand hectares. In addition, for the 2011 harvest, winter grain crops have been sown on an area of over 240 thousand hectares, with winter wheat and triticale accounting for almost 70% of the winter acreage. Winter rapeseed occupies almost 87 thousand hectares, and its sown area has expanded by more than 15% compared to 2010. -0-