18 August, Minsk /Tatsiana Chumakova - BELTA/. The mass grain harvesting has been completed in Belarus, with 96.1% of the harvesting area mown. Vladimir Hrakun, Head of the Main Department of Crop Production of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, informed a BELTA correspondent about this. "The bulk of grain and leguminous crops has already been harvested, and the harvesting of late-ripening crops – buckwheat and millet – has begun," the specialist said. He added that in all regions of the republic, corn harvesting for silage has begun, and in the Gomel region, for grain as well. Currently, soil preparation for sowing winter grain and rapeseed is underway. Harvesting of sugar beet and potatoes is planned to start in September. This summer's abnormal heat negatively affected grain crops. "Ripening was too fast: grain moisture was losing 6-8% daily, which is why there was a shortfall in grain," said Vladimir Hrakun. In late June, Minister of Agriculture and Food Mikhail Rusy announced a projected gross grain yield, including corn, of 9 million tonnes. Last week, the minister reported to the Head of State Alexander Lukashenko that the grain harvest in the republic in 2010, including corn, would be approximately 8 million tonnes, and without corn – about 7 million tonnes. As of 18 August, grain and leguminous crops have been mown on 2240.5 thousand hectares. In the Gomel region, 99.8% has been harvested; Mogilev region – 98.8%; Brest region – 96.8%; Minsk region – 95.2%; Grodno region – 94.6%; Vitebsk region – 93.5%. Agricultural organisations of the republic have already threshed 6637.7 thousand tonnes of grain with an average yield of 29.7 centners per hectare. The highest yield is in the Grodno region – 40.5 centners per hectare. In total, including farms and household plots of the population, 6975.7 thousand tonnes of grain have been threshed. 925.8 thousand tonnes of grain, or 93.5% of the planned amount, have been received towards the state order to date. -0-

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