Translated material
Chechen farmers expect a record harvest of winter crops
The farms of the Chechen Republic organized the sowing of winter crops for the 2013 harvest on an area of about 88 thousand hectares, more than 12.5 thousand hectares are planted with elite seeds, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic Musa Dadaev told Interfax.
According to him, farmers are pinning their hopes on these varieties, since “they will be harvested for seed purposes.”
“With proper agrotechnical work, you can harvest up to one hundred centners from one hectare. These varieties are resistant to disease, frost, and drought. For example, in past years, only 1-2% of the milling amount was food grain with gluten up to 17-20%. In new varieties, gluten reaches 28%. Thus, this year farmers are counting not only on quantity and quality, but also on the supply of their own seeds,” M. Dadaev emphasized.
He also noted that a seed calibration plant was built in the Achkhoy-Martan region for elite grain.
“It’s gratifying that winter crops have good seedlings. Farmers planted 130 thousand seeds per hectare. Already, in some farms in the Sunzhensky and Achkhoy-Martan districts, more than 120 thousand seeds have sprouted. This is a very good result,” he noted.
According to M. Dadaev, under favorable conditions, complete self-sufficiency of grain in the republic is possible within the next three years.
“It’s no secret that about 200 thousand tons of both food and feed grain are imported into the region every year. Moreover, most of the grain is imported by entrepreneurs without any certification documents. Thus, it will be possible to block the import of grain of unknown origin,” he emphasized M. Dadaev.
To carry out spring work, the ministry, in agreement with Rosagroleasing, purchased more than 40 tractors.
“Due to a lack of equipment, the republic annually loses the harvest that has already been grown. By the beginning of the harvest, more than 50 new grain harvesters will arrive in the republic under the same agreement. These are also beet and rice harvesters. We plan that the purchased combines and tractors will be 30-40% smaller. will cover the equipment shortage," the minister added.
In total, the republic, according to him, has 715 units of agricultural machinery and 275 serviceable combine harvesters. 6 thousand 183 tons of diesel fuel and 170 tons of oils were allocated for spring field work.