Lukashenko once again demanded to focus on Belarusian crop varieties
The country needs to rely on the creation and use of its own varieties of grain and leguminous crops – as stated today by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, during his visit to the Olekshitsy agricultural enterprise in the Grodno Region
The Head of State was interested in details about the varieties of crops used on the enterprise’s fields. For example, as far as corn is concerned, corn for feed is mainly of Belarusian varieties while corn for grain and seeds – imported hybrids with higher yields. According to Grodno Region Governor Vladimir Karanik, in the region as a whole, rapeseed is mainly hybrid, winter rye is of Belarusian varieties, and winter wheat is mainly imported. Meanwhile, there are more domestic varieties for spring crops while imports are insignificant.
This is the second time this topic has been in the spotlight this week. It should be reminded that during a working trip to the Brest Region, Aleksandr Lukashenko urged farmers and scientists to give preference to varieties of Belarusian selection. At the same time, the task is to develop our own varieties that would provide high yields. The Belarusian leader once again indicated in the Berestovitsa District, “It’s necessary to work with scientists. It’s necessary to encourage them. As soon as harvesting is over we’ll need to return to this issue. We’ll get together at my level and think. t is necessary to give scientists a shake. That’s all. We all need to look at this separately. And let them get ready not just to tell about their high achievements but also about bad aspects. If everything was very good, they [heads of agricultural enterprises] would not buy imported varieties. Still, they [imported varieties] are more expensive.”
As an experiment, Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested sowing part of the President’s field with imported and Belarusian varieties of corn for grain and comparing the result. However, the global task is for everyone, “We need to sort out the seed material, and his refers to all crops. Secondly, apart from winter rapeseed and barley, we should consider what else we can sow early, especially in the north of the country. Until we change crop rotations in the north and until we find the right crops, they [in the northern regions] will be lagging behind. Moreover, discipline and order should be certainly ensured.”
