MINSK DISTRICT, 9 August (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that Belarus will be able to harvest 10.5 million tonnes of grain, including corn, this year. The head of state voiced his projections as he was inspecting Minsk District on 8 August, BelTA has learned.
Agriculture and Food Minister Ivan Krupko told the president that about 61% of land had been harvested in Belarus so far. The average yield was 38.2 centners per hectare. In his words, the country is expected to harvest 8.2-8.3 million tonnes of cereals and 800,000 tonnes of rapeseed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko added that 1.5 million tonnes of corn should also be harvested. “If we harvest 10.5 million tonnes, this will be enough for now to feed the livestock and partly provide for the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation,” the head of state said.
The president believes that the rapeseed yield should be increased by several percents. “Rapeseed means money. We need to promote rapeseed oil. Rapeseed is a medicine, especially here. We sell it all over the world, while here we consume sunflower oil. We need to buy our own food if we want to stay healthy,” he said.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, cereals should be harvested within the coming three days. The head of state noted that there is no lack of machinery at agricultural companies. He emphasized that agricultural machines should be taken good care of. “The service life of a combine harvester cannot be shorter than 11-12 years. If you operate it carefully, it can serve for 15 years, like outside our country,” the president said.
The head of state toured the Gastellovskoye agricultural company in Minsk District. The president was briefed on the progress with harvesting in the region and the country in general.
