Agricultural companies of Vitebsk oblast are the first to complete winter crops sowing campaign. This year winter crops occupy 188,000 hectares which is 1.5% more than the target, BelTA learnt in the plant cultivation department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Belarus. By September 26 Mogilev oblast is expected to finish the sowing campaign. On the whole, Belarus is to complete winter crops sowing by September 30. Winter crops occupy a total of 1,243,000 hectares or 89.5% of the target. On September 25 about 40,000 hectares or 3% of the total were sown. Minsk oblast sowed 84%, Gomel oblast 95.6%, Grodno oblast – 93.5%, Brest oblast – 71%. Gomel and Minsk oblasts plan to finish sowing by the end of the week. Brest oblast will complete sowing at the beginning of the next week. Since winter crops are more productive that spring crops, agricultural companies extend the areas under the winter crops. This year the area was increased by 26,000 hectares. Together with winter crops sowing, farmers are tilling lands to prepare them for spring sowing campaign. A total of 170,000 hectares have been tilled or 9.8% of the total.