The principal report was made by Pyotr Chekmaryov, Director of the Department of Crop Farming, Fertiliser Use and Plant Protection, who said that finishing the spring sowing in due time is still an urgent issue in a number of Russian regions.
In addition, Mr Chekmaryov reported that the total sowing area for all farming categories in the Russian Federation is forecast at 51 million hectares, or 100.4% as compared with 2012 figures. According to the latest information from executive bodies of the regional agricultural complexes, spring crops have been sown on an area of 45.3 million hectares (89%). Spring fieldwork has required 1.9 million tonnes of fertilizers. Crop producers currently have 1.41 million tonnes of fertilisers, or 86,500 tonnes less than in 2012.
Reports to the Minister on the progress of the spring sowing were made by heads of regional agricultural complexes in the Tomsk, Sverdlovsk, Kostroma, Rostov, Saratov regions, the Khabarovsk Territory and Kabardino-Balkaria.
The Minister issued instructions to relevant departments, ordering them to constantly monitor the supply of fertilisers, spring crop seeds, fuel and lubricants to farms.
