Russia will sow three million hectares more to spring crops next year to compensate for the low 2010 winter crops sowing, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
"In spring 2011, the sowing is to be increased by 2.9 million hectares. The total area will amount to 49.8 million hectares. In 2010, it was 46.9 million," Putin told a conference call.
An abnormal heat and drought this summer killed a third of Russian crops and slashed the volume of winter sowing as farmers were reluctant to plant grain in dry soil.
MOSCOW, November 29 (RIA Novosti)
