Crimea has first rice harvest since 2013, gathering 6,000 tonnes

ROSTOV-ON-DON. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Crimean farmers have harvested almost 6,000 tonnes of rice in the first rice harvest since 2013 and the suspension of water supply through the North Crimean Canal in the spring of 2014, the press service for the Crimean Agriculture Ministry told Interfax.

"According to the current data from district administrations, 5,948 tonnes of rice have been harvested," the press service said.

Crimean Agriculture Minister Andrei Savchuk said that the rice harvest in the republic has been completed.

"Average yield for the crop is high in the republic at 82 centners per hectare and reached up to 110 centners per hectare in some checks," Savchuk was quoted as saying by the press service.

Seven enterprises sowed rice in the republic this year thanks to resumption of water supply through the North Crimean Canal, he said.

According to the ministry, a portion of the seeds received will be sown next year, which will allow an increase in the area for rice to 4,500 hectares.

The press service said earlier that rice had been sown over an area of more than 675 hectares, including 385 hectares in the Razdolnenskiy district, 277 hectares in the Krasnoperekopsk district, and 13.2 hectares in the Nizhnegorskiy district.

The gross rice harvest in Crimea in 2013 totaled 86,800 tonnes.