As of February 19, 2014, 14.1 mln ha of winter grain areas in Russia were in good and satisfactory condition, or 95.9% of the general planted areas (14.7 mln ha), declared Petr Chekmarev, Director of the Department of plant growing, chemicalization and plant protection of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the Ministry, the condition of 4.1% of crops planted areas (0.6 mln ha) is estimated as poor. Generally, the reporting indices conform to the long-time annual average terms, stated P.Chekmarev.
In addition, in the current year domestic agrarians will have to plant spring crops throughout the areas of nearly 53 mln ha (in 2013 - 51.4 mln ha). It is expected to increase the planted areas of spring wheat, maize, millet and rice, said P.Chekmarev.
