MINSK, 8 May (BelTA) – Agriculture conditions in Belarus may change substantially by the middle of the century, BelTA learned from Yekaterina Istomina, Deputy Head of the Hydrology and Agrometeorology Service of the National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control, and Environmental Monitoring, at a press conference on 8 May.
Specialists believe that climate in Belarus has been changing for 30 years already and will continue changing in the near future. The fourth agroclimatic zone has appeared in Belarus as a result. Southern parts of Brest Oblast and Gomel Oblast belong to it. The new zone is characterized by the shortest and warmest winter in Belarus and the lengthiest vegetation period. “If we consider possible shifts of the zones by the middle of the century, there are several possible scenarios. According to the moderate and rather probable scenario, agroclimatic parameters will be substantially changed. The length of the active vegetation period for crops will be increased by roughly three weeks. The sum of active temperatures in northern parts of the country will reach levels that are characteristic in southern parts at present,” Yekaterina Istomina said.
Thus, the agroclimatic conditions currently observed in southern parts of Brest Oblast and Gomel Oblast will be characteristic of Vitebsk Oblast by the middle of the 21st century. Meanwhile, agroclimatic conditions in most of Belarus will become close to modern conditions observed in central parts of Ukraine, Middle Volga and Lower Volga regions.
The choice of crops grown in Belarus has changed due to the climate change. “Unfortunately, conditions have worsened for growing such conventional Belarusian crops as flax and potato. On the other hand, it is now possible to grow early potato varieties. Areas suitable for growing cereals and colza have increased considerably. Grapes, melons and gourds are now grown in Belarus,” noted the representative of the national weather service agency.
