September 15 2006, 17:03

Blight speeds up tomato harvesting in Poltava oblast

According to information provided by the specialists of Poltava AMP office to "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal, as of mid September the oblast producers continue tomato harvesting and start gathering bulb onion on their fields.

The season 2006 weather benefited good development and vegetation of tomato and bulb onion, especially in farms where irrigation was applied. The producers managed to avoid two main problems: mildew and blight. At the present moment the harvest of tomato and bulb onion is quite good.

Oleg Smolka, the AMP Specialist, evaluates that an average tomato yield will be 25-30 tons/ha, onion yield 15-17 tons/ha on fields without irrigation, up to 55 tons/ha of tomatoes and 40-45 tons/ha of onion on irrigated areas.

However, rainfalls in the beginning of September, and violent daily temperature fluctuations have already caused local lesion of tomatoes. Now 5-10% of gross tomato harvest is affected by the disease.

During two next weeks major farms are planning to finish active harvesting of these two crops; most of the producers prefer selling produce out of field.