Cold air temperature, falling below zero at night on the major part of the Belarus contributed to slower vegetation processes of grain crops and winter rapeseed.
In the first half of October sum of effective temperatures (above +5 degrees C) totaled about 40-60 C‘, up by 10-20 CYoY. Winter crops sown in mid-September are at the stage of tillering.
Later sown plants are at the stage of emergence and third leaf formation. In the nearest time vegetation processes will continue to slow down due to low air temperatures.
Winter rapeseed continues to form leaf rosette. Visual observation shows that winter rapeseed condition is mainly good and locally in Gomel region – satisfactory and bad. Farms continue to harvest corn for silage and grain.
Due to higher sowing area and yield corn crop in Belarus may increase three times this year.
According to Agrarian Ministry of Belarus, as of October 17, 60.7 thousand ha of corn had been threshed (34.2% of the planned 177.3 thousand ha) and 494.7 KMT had been obtained. As of the same date last year 36.3 thousand ha or 44.2% had been threshed. Average productivity reached 8.16 MT/ha and was 39% higher than last year (5.89 MT/ha in 2015). (UkrAgroConsult/Business World Magazine)