President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, while making personnel decisions on government formation, inquired about the progress of spring field work, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
During the event, the Head of State addressed Vice-Premier Yuri Shuleiko, who oversees the agro-industrial complex, and noted the special climatic conditions for March, questioning how this would affect the timing and progress of agricultural work. "The weather is good. It seems like we should be sowing. But on the other hand… Perhaps it’s too early? So it doesn’t freeze. After all, it’s mid-March," said Alexander Lukashenko. "In Brest, it’s 18-19 degrees. What should we do? We need to sow."
In response, the relevant Vice-Premier explained that sowing in some regions has already begun in accordance with previously determined and approved crop structures. Furthermore, according to Yuri Shuleiko, the preparation of machinery and the procurement of mineral fertilizers are proceeding at a more dynamic pace this year. In many farms, soil preparation for future spring sowing has been carried out in advance. "We ploughed an additional 300,000 hectares of land during the winter. This means that for those farmers who were proactive, there is less work for the spring," noted the Vice-Premier. As for the wintering of cattle, it went well this time, partly due to the absence of severe frosts.
A positive development in the work of the agro-industrial complex was the noted increase in agricultural production volumes since the beginning of the year. In January 2025, they increased by 3.3% compared to the same period in 2024.
"Given the base they have, this is a good growth," observed the President.