Vitebsk region is increasing the sown areas for cruciferous crops to 120 thousand hectares, as reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Regional Executive Committee.
Vitebsk region is increasing the sown areas for cruciferous crops to 120 thousand hectares, as reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Committee for Agriculture and Food of the Regional Executive Committee.
"To ensure full capacity utilisation of processing enterprises, we are expanding the areas under cruciferous crops to 120 thousand hectares. Compared to 2017, the sown areas will increase by almost 40 thousand hectares. It is planned that spring rapeseed will occupy 78.7 thousand hectares," the regional agricultural department noted.
The committee stated that, taking into account the recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, a prospective structure for the sown areas of agricultural crops was developed in the region as early as August last year. It was based on this structure that the volumes for autumn soil cultivation, seed preparation, and mineral fertilizer accumulation were allocated to the districts.
It has been determined that the total sown area for agricultural crops in the current year will amount to 796 thousand hectares. Half of the arable land is allocated to grain and leguminous crops, with leguminous crops occupying 120 thousand hectares, which will constitute 15% of the arable land.
It is planned to allocate 260.4 thousand hectares for fodder crops. Of these, maize will be sown on 70 thousand hectares (60 thousand hectares for silage and 10 thousand hectares for grain), annual grasses will occupy 35.4 thousand hectares, and perennial grasses will cover 155 thousand hectares. In addition, at least 100 thousand hectares of pure clover should be sown this year.
Thirteen thousand hectares have been allocated for flax. The cultivation of potatoes and vegetables will be primarily undertaken by specialised large-scale agricultural organisations that possess the necessary range of machinery and equipment for cultivation, as well as storage facilities.
Taking into account the sown winter grains and winter rapeseed, as well as the areas of perennial grasses, 442 thousand hectares of spring crops will need to be sown in the region in the spring.