Belarus has started harvesting grain crops, BelTA learned from the Agriculture and Food Ministry.
As of 16 July, farmers harvested grain and pulse crops from 128,400 hectares, or 5.94% of the total. In terms of the pace of work Brest Oblast is the leader with 51,500 hectares harvested or 15.3% of the target. Gomel Oblast cleared 12.8% of the total (42,500 hectares), Grodno Oblast - 4.11% (13,400 hectares), Minsk Oblast - 2.81% (14,100 hectares), Mogilev Oblast - 1.99% (6,240 hectares). Vitebsk Oblast is just beginning to harvest: 0.21% (730 hectares). All in all, farmers have harvested 398,700 tonnes of grains with the average yield of 31.1 centner per hectare.
Belarusian farmers have also mowed second cuts on the areas of 429,000 hectares or 54.7% of the total. According to the Agriculture and Food Ministry, agricultural companies have stocked 2.864 million tonnes of grass fodder. The plan is to stock 9.168 tonnes or 8.69 centners per one cattle head. Currently the silage stocks stand at 8.845 million tonnes (68.1% of the target), hay at 604,600 tonnes (63.8%), silo at 323,600 tonnes (1.78%).
