Areas Under Farm Crops Census:

Commentary

A lack of precipitations in September 2006 badly influenced condition of land before sowing and coming up of winter crops. Only kindly development of weather in the course of November made the majority of plants to catch up a development delay. The winter season was gentle with temperature a couple of degrees above the winter average, snow cover occurred just incidently and mostly in higher localities. It friendly influenced the hibernation of the major part of cultivation. An early coming of the spring season accelerated sowing of spring crops. Warm and dry period lasted through March and April and an deficit of precipitations influenced growing plants. The growth of winter crops could be evaluated as gently above-averaged but spring crops are undersized.

The acreage of agricultural land surveyed as of 31 May 2007 indicates 3 597 thous. ha, it means by 31 thous. ha (0,9 %) more than in the year 2006. The acreage of arable land is 2 618 thous. ha, it means by 11 thous. ha (by 0,4 %) less matching the previous year. The arable land shares in total agricultural area with 72,9 %. Permanent grassland cover 932 thous. ha, it means by 43 thous. ha (by 4,8 %) more than in 2006. Its share in total agricultural area is 26,0 %. The acreage of arable land not sown and fallow is down by 13 thous. ha (by 30,7 %) and it represents 1,2 % of surveyed arable land.

Cereals are cultivated on 60,3 % of sowing areas (59,6 % of arable land), of which the most spread winter wheat occupies 29,0 % of sowing area. The root crops cover 3,4 %, oil plants 17,5 % (of which rape 13,0 %) and fodder crops on arable land cover 16,6 % (of which perennial ones 8,0 %) of total sowing areas.

Sowing areas with cereals cover 1 561 thous. ha, it is by 34 thous. ha (by 2,2 %) more than in 2006. Legumes are cultivated on 31 thous. ha, it is by 8 thous. ha less matching 2006. Root crops occupy 87 thous. ha and it is down by 5 thous. ha in comparison with 2005. An increase of sowing areas was reported by oil plants which acreage is 452 thous. ha, it means by 14 thous. ha more than in 2006. Also industrial plants have increased sowing area on 462 thous. ha, it is by 11 thous. ha more than in the year 2006. Fodder plants on arable land occupy the acreage 429 thous. ha, it is by 31 thous. ha down than in 2006.