September 20, 2010

Belarus grain output show 33% less of target

According to the National Statistics Committee, only 6.7 million tonnes of grain, except corn grain, has been harvested in Belarus this year, instead of the 10 million-tonne target.

Last year's grain crop reportedly amounted to about nine million tonnes.

As of September 1, 2010, the grain harvest was 337,000 tonnes, or 31%, smaller than a year earlier in the Homyel region; 276,000 tonnes, or 25%, smaller in the Vitsyebsk region; 449,000 tonnes, or 21.2%, smaller in the Minsk region; 216,000 tonnes, or 17.3%, smaller in the Mahilyow region; 174,000 tonnes, or 14%, smaller in the Brest region; and 203,000 tonnes, or 13.4%, smaller in the Hrodna region.

The Minsk region accounted for 25% of the total grain output, the Hrodna region for 19.7%, the Brest region for 16%, the Mahilyow region for 15.6%, the Vitsyebsk region for 12.4% and the Homyel region for 11.3%.

The average yield was 2,980 kg per hectare, down from 3,730 kg last year. As of September 1, rapeseed had been harvested from 99% of the sown area, with rapeseed output totaling 465,200 tonnes, or 38% less than a year earlier. The average per-hectare yield was 1,530 kg, down from 2,310 kg in 2009.

As much as 997,700 tonnes of grain, or 100.8% of the target, had been supplied in the framework of the government's procurement program as of September 1. In particular, 151,800 tonnes of malt barley and 214,800 tonnes of rapeseed had been gathered, or 101.2 and 56.4% of the respective targets.

Farms continue to harvest forage crops, with 7,500,000 tonnes of forage units having been produced in Belarus as of September 1, 10.8% more than a year earlier. The output of hay reportedly amounted to 1.4 million of tonnes, 14.9% more than a year before, the output of haylage to 10.4 million tonnes, 0.8% more, and the output of silage to 6.3 million tonnes, 90% more.