Belarus harvests over 20% of its sugar beet fields

MINSK, 14 September (BelTA) – Over 20% of area under sugar beets has been harvested in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

According to operational data as of 14 September, 9,239,000 tonnes of grain, including rapeseed, have been threshed. By region, the harvest is as follows: Minsk Oblast at 2,434,000 tonnes, Grodno Oblast at 1,845,000 tonnes, Brest Oblast at 1,678,000 tonnes, Mogilev Oblast at 1,215,000 tonnes, Gomel Oblast at 1,094,000 tonnes, and Vitebsk Oblast at 973,000 tonnes.

A total of 888,000 hectares have been plowed for sowing winter grains, which is 59% of the plan of 1,500,000 hectares, and 360,000 hectares more than in the same period last year. Winter grain crops for grain have been sown by all regions of the country on an area of 421,000 hectares, which is 28% of the plan, with all regions proceeding at a faster pace than last year, the press service noted.

Under the state order, 655,000 tonnes of food grain have been delivered, which is 99% of the plan of 663,000 tonnes, along with 94,000 tonnes of malting barley, or 109% of the plan of 86,000 tonnes. Corn for silage has been harvested from 25% of the area. Grass has been cut for a second mowing on an area of 948,000 hectares, or 94% of the plan.

A total of 589,000 tonnes of hay have been produced, or 82% of the plan, as well as 12,656,000 tonnes of haylage (88%), 4,735,000 tonnes of silage (21%); and 5,138,000 tonnes of grass feed (51%).

Mineral fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) for winter sowing stand at 301,000 tonnes of active substance, or 174% of the plan.

Sugar beets have been harvested from 22% of the area, or 24,000 hectares out of the planned 109,000 hectares. A total of 1,049,000 tonnes of this crop have been dug, with an average yield of 436 centners per hectare. Broken down by region, the harvest in tonnes stands at: Minsk Oblast at 472,000; Grodno Oblast at 362,000; Brest Oblast at 117,000; Mogilev Oblast at 96,000; and Vitebsk Oblast at 2,000.

Potatoes have been harvested from 20% of the country’s area, or more than 4,000 hectares out of the planned 22,000 hectares. A total of 152,000 tonnes of potatoes have been dug, with an average yield of 349 centners per hectare. Broken down by region, the harvest in tonnes stands at: Mogilev Oblast at 53,000, Minsk Oblast at 34,000, Brest Oblast at 22,000, Gomel Oblast at 18,000, Vitebsk Oblast at 13,000, and Grodno Oblast at 12,000.