During the Government session, Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov reported on the progress of spring field work,El.kz cites primeminister.kz.
According to the Minister, issues of timely and quality spring field work are under special control. In general, according to the regional Akimats, the total sowing area will be 23.8 million hectares this year.
"According to the instruction of the Head of State on diversification of agricultural crops, sown areas of wheat, compared to last year will be reduced by 426 thousand hectares and will amount to 13.3 million hectares," Saparov said.
At the same time, he said, it is planned to increase the area of oilseeds by 373 thousand hectares and fodder crops by 66 thousand hectares.
The work on reduction of water-intensive crops is also carried out within the framework of the order, cotton area is forecasted to decrease by 16 thousand hectares and rice area by 12 thousand hectares.
"To date, sowing work is already underway in some regions of our country, 1.5 million hectares have been sown. Mass sowing campaign will begin in the second decade of May this year," Saparov reported.
According to him, an important issue is weather conditions during the spring field work. According to the forecast data of "Kazgidromet" on most of the territory of the Republic, moisture reserves are optimal. Farmers are also carrying out works on closing the moisture.
On 29 April this year, these issues were discussed at a round table at the Ministry with the participation of industry unions, science, Kazgidromet and regional akimats. According to the results of the round table to the agrarians recommendations on the optimal sowing dates, taking into account weather conditions. Also according to the Minister, 99% of seeds are filled with the demand of 2.4 million tonnes of seeds according to the data of akimats. The remaining volume will be provided at the expense of the reserve of Prodkorporatsiya.
Work on air-thermal heating and seed dressing is being carried out.
One of the main factors of successful field work is the application of mineral fertilisers. In this direction, according to the Minister, in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State, the plan for the current year is 1.5 million tonnes, of which 900 thousand tonnes are the products of domestic plants.
In general, to date, only 453 thousand tonnes of fertilizers have been shipped to farmers, which is only 30% of the plan for 2024. Work in this direction is fully completed only in Kyzylorda region. Other akimats need to speed up the work.
At the same time, the issue of instalment payments has been worked out with fertiliser producers. Akimats should directly work out all issues with the plants and conduct relevant work with farmers.
Aidarbek Saparov also expressed a request to instruct the Ministry of Industry to take measures to provide the domestic market with fertilisers in the required volume as a priority and only then to ship them for export.
To preserve the harvest, it is necessary to carry out timely chemical treatment of fields. For this purpose, the state provides support in the form of subsidising the cost of pesticides in the amount of 50%, which will help to maintain a favourable phytosanitary situation.
Separately, the Minister drew attention to the issue, often discussed in the media, about the emergence of foci of spread of various pests, which do not belong to the class of particularly dangerous. This is an example of rape leaf beetle outbreaks. The control of such pests should be carried out by agricultural producers themselves, and the preparations should be subsidised. In such cases, wide explanatory work on the part of local executive bodies is necessary.
Special attention should be paid to the fight against gregarious locusts.
"Due to the large area of locusts' spread in June 2023, this year chemical treatments are planned for 2.5 million hectares," Saparov said.
According to him, the greatest spread is expected in Aktobe region 784 thousand hectares, Kostanay region 775 thousand hectares and Turkestan region 272 thousand hectares.
As the Minister noted, all the necessary resources are available for treatment. This year 8.1 billion tenge has been allocated from the republican budget for the fight against locust pests. A stock of pesticides has been purchased in time. In addition, the situation with locusts in border areas is constantly monitored.
"In order to prevent last year's situation, regional akimats need to approach the issues of the fight against locusts extremely carefully and responsibly," Saparov said.
As for equipment, according to the Minister, 150 thousand tractors, about 5 thousand units of high-performance sowing complexes, 76 thousand seeders, 219 thousand tillage implements are available in agricultural organisations for the sowing campaign.
"Today, according to the information of the regions, the readiness of equipment is about 98%, by the beginning of mass sowing operations this equipment should be ready for 100%," the Minister of Agriculture reported.
According to him, in order to provide farmers with discounted diesel fuel allocated 376 thousand tonnes, at a price of 250 tenge/litre, which is 15% lower than the market price. However, on the ground there is a weak shipment, to date shipped only 194 thousand tonnes. In this regard, regional akimats as soon as possible to ensure the shipment of fuel and lubricants according to schedules.
An important issue is financing of sowing works. In accordance with the instructions of the Prime Minister, the issues of financing of field work have been resolved, both by transferring the remaining funds provided for in the budget, and by allocating additional funds.
"In general, preferential financing of spring field work this year will amount to 580 billion tenge, of which 400 billion tenge is an additional volume of borrowed funds at 5% per annum for agrarians under the mechanism of direct subsidies to financial institutions," Aidarbek Saparov said.
The Minister expressed a request to instruct the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the issue of allocation of funds from the reserve of the Government in the amount of 60 billion tenge for the above subsidies.
"All issues of the spring campaign are under special control. On the instructions of the Head of the Government to coordinate the work on the ground will be carried out visits to the regions by officials of the Ministry. The corresponding schedule has already been formed," Saparov reported.
In addition, according to him, all problematic issues are considered and solved at meetings of the Operational Headquarters of the Ministry with the involvement of all stakeholders.
"The measures taken will allow to carry out the sowing campaign qualitatively and in optimal agro-technical terms," Saparov assured.