Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fyodorov stressed the need to evaluate the progress of spring sowing and to identify regions that are on schedule as well as regions that require close attention of the government.
Director of the Department of Crop Production, Chemical Use and Plant Protection at the Ministry of Agriculture Pyotr Chekmaryov reported to the Minister that currently for all categories of farm the total spring sowing area is forecasted at 51 million hectares, or 100.4% of the 2012 level. Given the rapid increase in temperatures, spring sowing started two weeks early in the Southern and North Caucasus federal districts, thought it has been delayed in other Russian regions due to a late spring.
According to regional data, as of May 14 spring sowing had been carried out on 22.4 million hectares of land (44% to the forecast), thanks in part to abundant rainfall in the Siberian Federal District. In some regions of the Southern, North Caucasus and Central federal districts, sowing has been completed.
Mr Chekmaryov also reported that according to the data of regional agricultural administrative bodies, the need for financial resources in 2013 is 267.7 billion roubles, including 153.9 billion roubles in loans. To date the Ministry has signed 80 agreements with regions on providing federal funds to farmers. Based on these agreements, 66 billion roubles have already been transferred to the regions.
During the video conference, the Minister heard progress reports from representatives of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Altai, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories and the Amur, Voronezh, Kurgan and Chelyabinsk regions. Following the discussion, Mr Fyodorov urged regional agricultural administrative bodies to take necessary measures to complete sowing by the target dates.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture
