Belarusian agricultural production up 1.9% in Jan-Sept 2016
MINSK. Oct 19 (Interfax) - Agricultural output in Belarus at farms of all categories in January-September 2016 totaled 11 billion Belarusian rubles in constant prices, up 1.9% compared to the same period in 2015, according to materials from the National Statistics Committee (Belstat).
Agricultural organizations increased output by 1.3% reaching 8.8 billion Belarusian rubles in current prices.
As of October 1, a total of 7 million tonnes of grain, excluding corn, had been harvested with average yield of 33.2 centners per hectare.
Vegetables had been harvested from 56.3% of the crop area. Their production was up by 15.6% in comparison to the same period in 2015, totaling 97,500 tonnes, while the yield reached 220 centners per hectare, up from 178 centners per hectare on October 1, 2015. Potatoes were harvested from 71.2% of the crop area, the harvest to date being 686,600 tonnes and yield 261 centners per hectare, up from 225 centners per hectare in 2015. Sugar beet was harvested from 39.5% of the crop area, totalling 1.456 million tonnes at yield of 390 centners per hectare, up from 269 centners per hectare in 2015.
Winter crops continue to be planted in Belarus for the 2017 harvest, as well as the storage of fodder.
Livestock and poultry production (in live weight) in January-September 2016 totaled 1.254 million tonnes, up 1.3%. Milk production totaled 5.177 tonnes, up 1.7% and egg production increased 0.7% to 2.162 million units. The cattle population on October 1 was 4.2 million, including 1.4 million cows, while the number of hogs was up 1.3% to 2.8 million.