07.08.2012
Lukashenko orders to ramp up harvesting operations
MINSK, 7 August (BelTA) – President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has ordered to intensify harvesting operations at a session on 7 August, BelTA has learnt.
According to the President, executives responsible for harvesting operations and other works got somewhat complacent. “One of the purposes of this session is to give a shake to these people, increase the pace of the works and prevent crop losses. Now all of you need to strain hard to reap cereal crops; make sure you do not spread harvesting operations for one and a half months or even two months as it usually happens,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The President pointed to the misbalance in the amount of harvested crops across Belarusian regions. He compared Gomel Oblast and Brest Oblast. According to the head of state, Brest Oblast harvested 90% of fields and got 1.3 million tonnes of crops; however, Gomel Oblast harvested 85% of farmland, but received only 900,000 tonnes of crops. The difference in merely 5% translated into a huge gap of almost 400 tonnes. “It would not be so bad if this happened for the first time. But this trend has persisted in Gomel Oblast for several years already,” the President said. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the situation is a matter of concern.
At the beginning of the session the President warned the attendees that this year the session will be more specific and task-oriented. “We used to focus on preparedness of the regions for the harvest period and held sessions before the start of harvesting works, while now harvesting works are in full swing and in some regions they are nearing completion,” Alexander Lukashenko said. Since the beginning of the harvest period, the head of state has visited several farms and regions and saw that not everywhere the works are fast-paced and the attitude to business is responsible. “Complacency is unacceptable,” underscored Alexander Lukashenko.
This is getting even more important considering the weather conditions. “Everybody believes that this hot weather will continue and time will be enough to crop the harvest without haste. This is the position of many farms,” the President said. Yet, due to the hot weather grain is too dry and therefore difficult to harvest without losses. The President warned that tomorrow the weather will change dramatically, so the harvest operations should pick up pace: “The fleet of combine harvesters is large enough. What are we waiting for? You promised to finish the harvest, if such weather persists, by 10 August, but we still have a third of the harvest on the fields!”
The head of state also raised the issue of false reporting by agricultural organizations and ordered experts to check the accuracy of reports made by agricultural organizations.
The President also drew attention to the need to ensure high quality of harvesting operations without slowing down the pace: “This means avoiding grain losses and ensuring efficient use of straw. For this purpose it is necessary to strictly follow the technological regulations and scientific recommendations, but this is where we have problems in some regions.”
“We should make sure we have the necessary assortment of crops. We need not only fodder grain but also good raw materials for the bakery industry, standard barley for brewing, buckwheat and other highly demanded products for trade,” said Alexander Lukashenko. The head of state stressed that villagers should be assisted in harvesting crops in their household plots as well: “This is the main incentive for people with farmlands. Moreover, it is a good addition to the country’s food security. Personal household plots always give the country up to half a million tonnes of grain every year.”
The President instructed to gather flax properly in order to secure the harvest of high-quality flax.
“But the main thing today is the beginning of the winter sowing. Our major task is to harvest what we have sown and to prepare the fields for the next harvest,” the head of state stressed.
The President reminded those attending the meeting that a very important project to upgrade dairies had been launched in the country and that harvesting operations should not back-pedal this work.
At today’s meeting the President is expected to hear out reports from the governors on how the harvest period is going on in the regions including state procurement contracts and seed material storage efforts.
According to the President, executives responsible for harvesting operations and other works got somewhat complacent. “One of the purposes of this session is to give a shake to these people, increase the pace of the works and prevent crop losses. Now all of you need to strain hard to reap cereal crops; make sure you do not spread harvesting operations for one and a half months or even two months as it usually happens,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The President pointed to the misbalance in the amount of harvested crops across Belarusian regions. He compared Gomel Oblast and Brest Oblast. According to the head of state, Brest Oblast harvested 90% of fields and got 1.3 million tonnes of crops; however, Gomel Oblast harvested 85% of farmland, but received only 900,000 tonnes of crops. The difference in merely 5% translated into a huge gap of almost 400 tonnes. “It would not be so bad if this happened for the first time. But this trend has persisted in Gomel Oblast for several years already,” the President said. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the situation is a matter of concern.
At the beginning of the session the President warned the attendees that this year the session will be more specific and task-oriented. “We used to focus on preparedness of the regions for the harvest period and held sessions before the start of harvesting works, while now harvesting works are in full swing and in some regions they are nearing completion,” Alexander Lukashenko said. Since the beginning of the harvest period, the head of state has visited several farms and regions and saw that not everywhere the works are fast-paced and the attitude to business is responsible. “Complacency is unacceptable,” underscored Alexander Lukashenko.
This is getting even more important considering the weather conditions. “Everybody believes that this hot weather will continue and time will be enough to crop the harvest without haste. This is the position of many farms,” the President said. Yet, due to the hot weather grain is too dry and therefore difficult to harvest without losses. The President warned that tomorrow the weather will change dramatically, so the harvest operations should pick up pace: “The fleet of combine harvesters is large enough. What are we waiting for? You promised to finish the harvest, if such weather persists, by 10 August, but we still have a third of the harvest on the fields!”
The head of state also raised the issue of false reporting by agricultural organizations and ordered experts to check the accuracy of reports made by agricultural organizations.
The President also drew attention to the need to ensure high quality of harvesting operations without slowing down the pace: “This means avoiding grain losses and ensuring efficient use of straw. For this purpose it is necessary to strictly follow the technological regulations and scientific recommendations, but this is where we have problems in some regions.”
“We should make sure we have the necessary assortment of crops. We need not only fodder grain but also good raw materials for the bakery industry, standard barley for brewing, buckwheat and other highly demanded products for trade,” said Alexander Lukashenko. The head of state stressed that villagers should be assisted in harvesting crops in their household plots as well: “This is the main incentive for people with farmlands. Moreover, it is a good addition to the country’s food security. Personal household plots always give the country up to half a million tonnes of grain every year.”
The President instructed to gather flax properly in order to secure the harvest of high-quality flax.
“But the main thing today is the beginning of the winter sowing. Our major task is to harvest what we have sown and to prepare the fields for the next harvest,” the head of state stressed.
The President reminded those attending the meeting that a very important project to upgrade dairies had been launched in the country and that harvesting operations should not back-pedal this work.
At today’s meeting the President is expected to hear out reports from the governors on how the harvest period is going on in the regions including state procurement contracts and seed material storage efforts.