18 December, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Production in agricultural organisations of the Vitebsk region increased by 11.8% in January-October this year, as reported to BELTA by the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. Agricultural organisations sold 162 thousand tonnes of livestock and poultry in live weight, which is 11.1 thousand tonnes more. Production of livestock and poultry growing amounted to 188.8 thousand tonnes, or 109.6% compared to January-October 2010. Milk production exceeded 690 thousand tonnes, which is almost 3% more than last year's figures. Milk yield per cow increased by 80 kg, reaching 3415 kg. According to the Committee, as of November 1 this year, the number of cattle in agricultural organisations increased by 14.2 thousand heads compared to 2010, pigs by 35.3 thousand heads, and poultry by 36.1 thousand heads. In 2011, 1350 thousand tonnes of fodder crops, in terms of feed units, were harvested for the public herd of the region, or 29.8 centners per conventional head, which is 4.7 centners more. Agricultural organisations of the region harvested 1253.5 thousand tonnes of grain in bunker weight with a yield of 28.7 centners/ha, 79.4 thousand tonnes of rapeseed with a yield of 15.5 centners/ha, 129.9 thousand tonnes of potatoes with a yield of 201 centners/ha, and 28.2 thousand tonnes of vegetables with a yield of 205 centners/ha. As noted by the Committee's specialists, the increase in agricultural production indicators was made possible by the intensification of production, stricter requirements for compliance with technological regulations, as well as ongoing work on updating the machine and tractor fleet. Agricultural organisations received 286 tractors, 100 forage harvesters and 500 grain harvesters, 47 sowing and tillage units, 470 mineral and organic fertiliser spreaders, and 192 reversible ploughs. In 2012, work will continue on achieving an optimal structure of sown areas. It is planned to ensure a gross agricultural output growth rate of 104-105% in all categories of farms, and a sales profitability of 3-3.5% in agricultural organisations. -0-

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