According to the service, as of may 1, 2017 spring crops in agricultural organisations was planted on an area of 6.4 million hectares, which is 12% less compared to the same date the previous year. Grains and legumes (excluding maize) were sown on the area of 2.7 million hectares, which is 25.5% less than last year. The acreage of wheat decreased by 33.9 per cent to 462 thousand hectares compared to 699 hectares in 2016. Sowing area for grain maize increased by 15.8% and amounted to 817 thousand hectares, sugar beet – by 12.6% to 717 thousand hectares, sunflower – on 2,1%, to 1.08 million hectares.

The acreage of spring grain and leguminous crops excluding maize amounted to 14.5% of the area of these crops, sown by agricultural organizations in 2016, sunflower and 22.4%, sugar beet – 73,6%.

The share of Central, southern, North Caucasian and Volga Federal districts accounted for 97.5% of the acreage of all spring crops.

Photo: news.sarbc.ru