Rechitsa region boasts highest corn yield in Gomel oblast
In the morning of September 24 farming companies of the Gomel oblast had corn threshed on more than 6.8 thousand hectares, 27% of the target. The yield totalled 34 thousand tonnes, with the average yield per hectare as high as some 50 centners, BelTA learnt from Mikhail Kolesnikov, Head of the Plant Production Intensification Office of the Agriculture and Food Committee of the oblast administration.
After collecting almost 400 hectares of corn farmers in the Rechitsa region boast the average yield as high as 87 centners per hectare. Agricultural companies of the Gomel region harvested over 500 hectares, with the average yield as high as 75 centners.
The record-breaking reports are coming from the fields where imported hybrid seeds were used. Seeds of domestic varieties lag behind so far. The fault is attributed to the fact that domestic corn varieties were first selected to produce green fodder.
Due to strong drought this year’s grain shortfall neared 15%, diminishing the Gomel oblast’s “bread loaf” to 808 thousand tonnes. Farmers plan to collect at least 125 thousand tonnes of corn and will be able to compensate for the lack of grain fodder. Specialists pointed out that corn had survived summer heat well and yielded almost twice as much grain than conventional headed crops.
Next year the Gomel oblast plans to increase grain plantations by 150% to 60 thousand hectares. According to Mikhail Kolesnikov there will be no problems with cultivating and collecting corn on this area. But grain drying still needs a solution, as the oblast now has an insufficient number of modern grain drying facilities, which will not be enough to bring corn up to proper conditions.
