Belarus expects gross grain harvest of 10 mln tonnes in 2022 - Lukashenko

MINSK. July 26 (Interfax) - Belarus expects a gross grain harvest of 10 million tonnes this year, President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"Experts forecast that the gross grain harvest, including rapeseed, corn, and colza, will be about 10 million tonnes," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the BelTA state news agency during the republic's conference call on the harvesting campaign.

Lukashenko noted that despite the expected rise in demand for grain worldwide, Belarus would not export the crop. "We are not going to sell grain for export. We need to pass it through animal husbandry, obtain milk, meat, and so on, and sell these products on international markets," Lukashenko said.

Deputy Prime Minister Leonid Zayats, who oversees the agro-industrial complex, in turn specified that the expected gross grain harvest in bunker weight would be 9.2 million tonnes, including rapeseed at 10 million tonnes. There are plans to send 800,000 tonnes of grain to seeds, and more than 7.8 million tonnes to fodder, with a need of around 6.5 million tonnes. Grain supplies will total 911,000 tonnes as part of government orders.

The Agriculture and Food Ministry in mid-July estimated that the grain harvest, including corn for grain, would be 9 million tonnes, with an expected yield of 41 centners per hectare. The harvest of cruciferous crops, rape, and colza is estimated at 800,000 tonnes.

The Agriculture and Food Ministry also estimates that 85% of crops are in good condition, with the area sown with grains and legumes having increased this year by 84,000 hectares compared to last year.

According the National Statistical Committee, Belstat, the gross harvest of grains and legumes totaled 7.417 million tonnes in 2021, a drop of 20% year-on-year.

As previously reported, Belarus imposed a ban on exporting grain, flour, and the main types of cereals in the middle of last year amid the drop in the grain harvest.