On September 13, Vitebsk / Sergey Kotov - BELTA /. Farms in the Vitebsk region have sown more than half of the areas planned for winter cereals, the Agriculture and Food Committee of the Regional Executive Committee informed a BELTA correspondent. As of September 13, these crops occupy over 132 thousand hectares in total, or 53% of the plan. In addition, soil preparation for winter sowing, including rapeseed, is nearing completion in the region. Thus, about 90% of the planned areas for winter crops have been ploughed, glyphosate has been applied to more than 50% of the areas from the target, and all districts have started applying organic fertilizers for winter sowing. In general, it is planned to complete winter cereal sowing in the region by September 20. Potatoes have been harvested from almost 1.7 thousand hectares, which is more than a quarter of the planned harvesting areas. About 1.3 thousand tons have been dug, with an average yield in the region exceeding 233 centners per hectare. Most districts have started forming potato seed stocks for the 2012 harvest; over 2.7 thousand tons, or about 7% of the plan, have already been stored for these purposes. In addition, farms in Dokshitsky and Sennensky districts have begun supplying potatoes to the Tolochinsky starch plant. Vegetables have been harvested from an area of over 131 hectares, which is 12.6% of the areas to be harvested. 586 tons of cabbage have been collected (average yield 250.3 centners per hectare, almost a quarter of the areas harvested), about 1 thousand tons of beets (almost 295 centners per hectare, a third of the areas) and about 638 tons of carrots (254.2 centners per hectare, a quarter of the areas harvested). Farms in Vitebsky and Orshansky districts have started harvesting onions. -0-

BELTA