April 4, Minsk /Tatyana Grigorovich - BELTA/. The sowing campaign in Belarus in 2013 will be shifted by approximately two weeks. This was announced today at a press conference by Vasily Pavlovsky, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
Higher positive temperatures, which will lead to snowmelt, are forecast for the republic no earlier than next week. "It is planned that by April 15-17, the southern regions of the country will begin the spring sowing campaign, and the northern regions will start slightly later, no earlier than the 20th," said the Deputy Minister. This year, the sowing campaign will be carried out within a rather tight timeframe. The south of the country should complete it in 10-12 days, and the north - within no more than two weeks.
Cereal crops must be sown no later than May 1. By the same time, farmers must sow leguminous crops, about 80% of corn (the remaining 20% - by May 10), and sugar beet (by May 3 at the latest). Potato planting should be completed by May 9-10. Millet, buckwheat, and other heat-loving agricultural crops are usually sown by May 20.
According to the Deputy Minister, the republic's seed supply for agricultural crops is almost 100%, with a reserve stock of 66 thousand tons, which will allow for reseeding approximately 240 thousand hectares of winter crops. It is planned to purchase about 700 tons of alfalfa, and about 600 tons of foreign-bred flax seeds and about 300 tons of white clover will be imported.
Vasily Pavlovsky noted that, in accordance with the government's directive, a new structure of sown areas has been developed, according to which the areas for corn sowing have been reduced by 120 thousand hectares, and the sowing of perennial grasses will be increased by the same amount.
Currently, active preparation of agricultural machinery for the sowing campaign is underway. Its readiness, depending on the region, is 94-98%.-0-