On July 21st, President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko is holding a conference call focusing on the progress of the 2026 harvesting campaign, sb.by reports
Opening the event, the Head of State noted that this format is traditional, saying, “At this time, the harvest is one of the most important issues in the country. It is deeply rooted in the Belarusian mindset that even when the world is disrupted by wars and conflicts, and the boundary between reason and the madness of some politicians fades, we must keep ploughing, sowing, and harvesting grain.”
“The harvesting season is not only a kind of test or the result of the entire annual cycle of agricultural work, but also a strong guarantee of our food security and a key source of foreign currency from exports. This is the concern of the entire state, not just the farmers. Simply put, if we have bread, we will survive,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
The President pointed out that in order for the country to have enough bread and meat, for enterprises to keep operating without shortages of raw materials, for farms and agricultural facilities to have sufficient feed, and for state orders to be fulfilled properly, everyone must perform their duties diligently and without disruptions.
“Everything has been done for this, and the prospects for the harvest are good. Now it must be collected to the maximum — without excuses or blaming factors such as unpredictable weather. Such challenges are typical in our region, and we already have experience from the previous campaigns,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
At present, multiple agricultural activities are taking place simultaneously: harvesting cereals and winter rapeseed, the second mowing of grass, and the upcoming sowing of winter crops. Therefore, the Belarusian leader stressed that careful planning is a shared responsibility across the entire chain: from agronomists and heads of agricultural organisations to regional governors and the Government.
According to the Government, the estimated gross grain harvest (including rapeseed and corn) in bunker weight is just over 11m tonnes, i.e., at the level of 2025.
“As I have been informed, in most regions this year’s grain harvest will be at least as good as last year’s,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated, adding that last year’s results will now serve as the benchmark for this year and the years ahead.
