Chechnya has started rice harvesting at the Gudermessky and Shelkovsky Districts, Grozny-Inform reports.
Rice planting started in 2010, after a 20 year break. About 500 hectares were planted at the Gudermessky District. This year 1147 hectares were planted. Planting was initiated by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov in 2010.
52 km of irrigation and 20 km of bushes had been cleared, deputy head of the Gudermessky District for agriculture Mayrbek Mikiyev said. About 30 centners of rice per hectare are to be collected. 11 combine operators will be involved.
About 200 hectares of rice were planted at Shelkovsky District during Soviet times. 136 hectares were planted this year. At least 30 centners per hectare are planned to be harvested, Director of the Dubovsky State Farm, Adlan Abdurakhmanov said.
160 hectares will be planted in 2012, 200 hectares in 2013. A rice head gives about 70 grains, which means that 35 centeners of rice may be expected per hectare.
