MINSK, 31 March (BelTA) – This year the spring favors farmers, Nikolai Leshik, head of the crop production directorate at the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, said as he spoke about the timelines of the 2026 planting campaign in a new episode of BelTA’s Nation Speaks project.
“Overall, this spring has been good to farmers. The temperatures are rising steadily, there was no rapid snowmelt, and, thankfully, fields had a snow cover this winter,” Nikolai Leshik noted.
According to him, dry weather spells have led to a decrease in the water table. “The snow cover even in Vitebsk Oblast where it reached up to 50 cm and in Gomel Oblast – at about 30-35 cm turned out to be insufficient to raise the water table to the levels of previous years. Therefore, farmers may see a risk of some moisture deficit this year. Even if precipitation is evenly spread within long-term averages and if temperatures remain favorable, there are still some concerns about water supply,” he explained.
Nevertheless, farmers remain proactive and continue to adapt to changing conditions. “I believe that changes in the varietal structure and, at times, in the crop composition in the fields are aimed at using more drought-resistant plants with high yield potential,” he said.
As for material aspects (mineral fertilizers, technical support, labor), consistent work is carried out in these areas every year. “The government has set a specific monthly amount of mineral fertilizer deliveries for this year, and in the past two months, this target has been met nearly 100%,” Nikolai Leshik noted. Regions are procuring them according to the plans. For March, we see no concerns, and the plans are expected to be fulfilled. Work is also underway for April and May.
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