Is new record to be faked?

• 10.04.2008, 15:56

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has demanded the government to take measures necessary for receiving at least 7.8 mln tons of grain. Are these agriculture goals realistic?

According to the results of the report of Prime Minister Syarhei Sidorski to the Belarusian president, the Belarusian government has been given a task to receive at least 7.8 mln tons of grain, at least 150 thousand tons of brewing barley, 3.7 tons of sugar beet, 60 tons of flax,” Interfax informs with a reference to Lukashenka’s press-service.

As we have informed, according to official statistics, last year Belarus collected 7.5 mln tons of grain.

However, according to Academician Ivan Nikitchanka, Doctor of Science in Agriculture, information about record-breaking crops had been exaggerated largely. The government of Belarus received information about the crop from false reporting. Local authorities have to be engaged in false reporting in connection with the demands of the regime to increase productivity.

“Local authorities are pressed for false reporting by constant demands of higher authorities,” Nikitchanka said to radio Svaboda.

He noted that figures in the report are highly doubtful for another reason: “Wet grain was collected”.

One should think that this year misrepresentation will be even more significant, and grain will be even wetter.