The Vitebsk oblast is finishing the harvest campaign. Only 16% of the area under grain crops and leguminous plants remains to be harvested, BelTA learnt from deputy head of the agriculture and foodstuffs department of the Vitebsk oblast executive committee Nikolai Olenich. As of August 22, almost 970 thousand tonnes of grain have been cropped. Yesterday’s heavy rain slowed down the harvest campaign, though the mark of one million tonnes will be passed within the next few days, Nikolai Olenich said. The farmers of the Vitebsk oblast plan to finish the grain harvest campaign by August 25. The average crop yield of the oblast in 2008 exceeds the last year’s one by 4 centners and amounts to 33.8 centners per hectare. Nikolai Olenich underlined that the good harvest of 2008 is the result of the implementation of the state rural revival programme. Over the last years, the agricultural organizations of the oblast have been working on the improvement of the soil fertility and the renovation of the agricultural machinery and facilities. In 2008 alone, Br164 billion was allocated for the purchase of mineral fertilizers and chemicals. Over the last three years, about 60% of the arable land was treated against pesticides. Over the last two years, 400 computerized sowing units were bought. “The most important component of a good harvest however is the dedicated work of farmers,” Nikolai Olenich concluded.