The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan continues to work on the diversification of sown areas and the transition to the production of highly profitable crops. The head of the department Saparkhan Omarov said this at a government meeting, the correspondent of the Kapital.kz business information center reports.
“In 2021, agricultural crops are planned to be placed on an area of 22,8 million hectares, which is 186,6 thousand hectares or 0,8% more than in 2020, including grain and legumes by 15,8 million hectares. The forecasted area of oilseeds is 3 million hectares, which is more than last year by 63 thousand hectares, fodder crops - 3,4 million hectares (more than 114,5 thousand hectares last year). The area of vegetable and melon crops is 16 thousand hectares more than the previous year and will amount to 280 thousand hectares, ”he said.
The minister recalled that on March 10, a meeting was held with the participation of regional akimats and financial institutions to prepare for spring field work. “Following the results of the meeting, letters on the need to increase the areas of buckwheat and potatoes were sent to the regional akimats to increase the production of crops that are significant for the population. Local executive bodies were advised to expand the area of buckwheat to 103 thousand hectares instead of 89 thousand hectares previously planned, potatoes - to 209 thousand hectares instead of 197 thousand hectares, ”said Saparkhan Omarov.
He added that as of March 29, agricultural crops are being sown in Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Turkestan regions. 67,7 thousand hectares of spring grain crops have been sown. This is 12,4% of the sown area of these crops. 6,5 thousand hectares (9,1%) of potatoes and 10,3 thousand hectares (8,5%) of vegetable crops, 18,7 thousand hectares (15,9%) of perennial grasses have been sown.