Lipetsk farmers are getting ready for spring field work. Oleg Dolgikh, head of the regional department of agriculture, spoke about the stages of preparation at the committee on agro-industrial complex and land relations of the Regional Council of the Lipetsk Region, the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia reports.
The total sown area for the 2022 harvest in all categories of farms in the Lipetsk Region will be 1 million 397 thousand hectares. This is 2,3% more than last year. This year, the areas under potatoes, open-field vegetables and vegetables of the "borscht set", which includes carrots, onions and beets, will increase. The sowing area of the latter will increase by 15%.
Agricultural machinery will also be updated. Last year, 901 units were purchased. In January, 4 tractors, 14 grain harvesters, 41 units of other necessary equipment have already been purchased.
The most discussed topic of the committee was the cost of mineral fertilizers. “In order to stabilize and develop the domestic market for nitrogen and nitrogen-containing fertilizers necessary for spring field work, in December 2021, a Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation came into force, on the basis of which a plan was approved for the purchase and supply of nitrogen and nitrogen-containing fertilizers to agricultural producers,” said Oleg Long. In total, according to the supply plan, by May 2021, 445 thousand tons of such fertilizers will be delivered to the Lipetsk region. In January, the delivery plan was fulfilled by 166%.