Crop plantings will be increased in North Kazakhstan

During the upcoming planting campaign, the area planted to barley, oilseeds and feed crops will be increased in North Kazakhstan region in pursuance of the President’s instructions to diversify crop plantings.

It is projected to place crops on an area of 4,495 Th ha in the region this year, up 11 Th ha year-over-year, including 3835 Th ha of cereals.

Farmers are going to expand plantings of barley by 51.8 Th ha at the expense of wheat area. Oil crops will be placed on 328 Th ha (+30 Th ha) and feed crops on 300 Th ha (+47 Th ha).

This year’s planting campaign is expected to be hard due to shortages of productive moisture in the soil. The water and snow reserves total just 25-35 mm that is a rather low content. Some hope remains for a medium or good grain crop in view of the large-scale use of minimum- and zero-tillage technologies based on the preservation of plant remains and the spreading of straw.

It is projected to introduce up-to-date moisture-saving technologies on an area of 3.4 Ml ha. The area of irrigated cropland will be 3,390 Th ha.