"It is premature to give a forecast for the harvest in 2017. Affect the yield, primarily, weather conditions, — said Tkachev. — Conducted technological works do not give rise to a decrease in yield".

According to the agriculture Ministry, the harvest of 2017 sown 17.4 million hectares of winter grain crops, or 100,1% to the forecast area. Conditions for wintering of plants was satisfactory.

"According to the regions of the total area of crops of winter grain crops in good and satisfactory condition of the crops on the area of 16.7 million hectares, or 96%," — said Tkachev.

Tkachev also noted the increase in cultivated agricultural land. "In 2017 for the first time in 15 years, the sowing area exceeding 80 million hectares. It's on 523 thousand hectares more than last year,"he said.

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