May 2, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. Agricultural organizations of the Vitebsk region have started sowing flax, the deputy chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Committee for Agriculture and Food, Ivan Fedorov, informed a BELTA correspondent. As of May 2, 4.5 thousand hectares of flax have been sown in the region, which is 22.6% of the target. Dokshytsy and Ushachy districts are leading, having completed this work on 53.9% and 34% of the areas, respectively. In total, this crop will be grown on 20 thousand hectares this year in all districts of the region, except for Rossony District. In addition, the region's farmers have begun planting potatoes and vegetables, with 5.5% (275 hectares) and 8.8% (161 hectares) of the plan planted, respectively. Chemical weeding of winter cereals and rapeseed has been carried out on 40 thousand hectares, or 35% of the target. Winter cereals have been sown in the region on 106.7 thousand hectares, which is 25% of the target, including grain crops on 90.5 thousand hectares (36%). Sowing of grain crops is progressing most actively in Chashniki (67.3%), Dokshytsy (55.5%), Lepel (50%), and Glubokoye (48.7%) districts. Among the lagging districts are Vitebsk (17.8%), Liozno (22.3%), as well as Senno and Ushachy (27% each). "All districts of the region have begun mass sowing. The work has gained good momentum – 5.7% of the areas per day. The weather is also favourable, so the sowing campaign is planned to be completed next week," added Ivan Fedorov.-0-

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