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Dorogobuzh Increases Supply of Mineral Fertilisers to Smolensk Region by 40%

In the first five months of this year, Dorogobuzh supplied over 12,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and NPK for fieldwork in Smolensk region.

Between 1 January and 31 May 2016, Dorogobuzh, a member of Acron Group, supplied the farmers in Smolensk region with over 12,300 tonnes of mineral fertilisers: 8,600 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and 3,700 tonnes of NPK. In the first five months of 2015, agricultural producers in 24 districts of the region received 8,790 tonnes (over 5,900 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and more than 2,800 tonnes of complex fertilisers). This resulted in a 40% increase in the volume of mineral fertiliser deliveries under the Cooperation Agreement between the Smolensk Region Department of Agriculture and Food and Dorogobuzh.

Peak demand for Dorogobuzh products came in April, as usual, when most farms start spring sowing and fertilising winter crops. Dorogobuzh gives priority to Smolensk growers, even during periods of elevated domestic demand. Every year for the past 15 years, the Company has also provided charitable assistance to local farmers. In 2016, Dorogobuzh provided free of charge 1,100 tonnes of mineral fertilisers for spring sowing.

To date, Smolensk agricultural producers have finished the spring sowing campaign. More than 155,000 hectares of land in the region were designated for spring sowing, which is 2% more than in 2015. In 2016,spring cereals occupy 87,500 ha, up 3% year-on-year. The area under spring rape expanded 50%, and flax planting is up, as well. This year, Smolensk farmers set a goal of producing 250,000 tonnes of grain – 5% more than the 2015 gross harvest. According to head of the regional Department of Agriculture and Food Tatyana Rybchenko, the agroindustrial sector has seen increasing grain yields for the past three years. In 2015, for the first time in a quarter century, the average grain yield in Smolensk region was 2,220 kg per hectare.

Farms in the Pochinkovsky, Safonovsky, Novoduginsky, Roslavlsky and Gagarinsky districts remain the main consumers of Dorogobuzh fertilisers. These municipalities account for the prevailing share in the cultivation of cereals, vegetables, industrial and fodder crops, as well as production of meat and milk. For example, one out of every three tonnes of Smolensk grain is produced in Pochinkovsky district, and cereal yield there (3,060 kg/ha) is 1.4 times higher than the average for the region.
Farms making advanced use of fertilisers include Troparevo and Agricultural Production Cooperative Druzhba in Pochinkovsky district, agro-industrial company Nasha Zhitnitsa in Gagarinsky district, Zolotaya Niva and Agricultural Enterprise Bobrovo in Novoduginsky district, JSC Agrofirma-Katyn and Kozinsky Teplichny Kombinat in Smolensky district, agricultural company Rybkovskoye and Zolotaya Niva in Safonovsky district, and Nakhimovskoye in Kholm-Zhirkovsky district of Smolensk region.

Commenting on the results of spring fieldwork, the Chairman of the Smolensk Regional Duma Committee for the Agricultural Complex Alexei Pavlov said that farmers who received sufficient mineral fertilisers laid a solid foundation for a good harvest.