The regional Field Day was opened in the Tatarstan Republic on July 13, 2009 just about one week before cereal harvest. It was a three day event where participants could observe field demonstrations of high yielding crop varieties grown under best management practices at the Research Farm of the Tatar Research Institute of Agriculture (TRIA). Russian and foreign producers of agricultural machinery, equipment, fertilizers and pesticides exhibited their products and services.

Although Tthe Tatarstan Republic cultivates only about 4% of crop sowingthe area planted to crops in Russia. However, Tatarstan it was the fifth most important cereal producing region in 2008 (after Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast, Stavropol Krai and Volgograg Oblast). The yield of spring wheat, which is a major cereal crop in Tatarstan, averaged 3.22 t/ha in 2008 compared to 1.51 t/ha in Russia. Among major spring wheat producing regions, Tatarstan is the most advanced one, with the highest use of mineral fertilizers. Mineral fFertilizer application in the 2009 crop season averaged 71 kg of nutrients per planted hectare of sowing area, according to the latestst estimates done by the republican Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr. M.Sh. Shaimiev, the President of Tatarstan, chaired a special seminar devoted to the anti-crisis measures conducted in the agriculture of Tatarstan. He noted that crops in Tatarstan are less suffering less from the current drought, which is progressing in the Volga area, due to the relatively high adoption of modern crop cultivation technologies, including fertilizer best management practices.

The government of Tatarstan provides a strongerst support to the agricultural sector compared tothan other regions of Russia,. whichAs a results, in the lowest food commodity prices in the regionare lowest here. It was decided during the seminar to Fuel and mineral fertilizer subsidies will continue fuel and mineral fertilizer subsidies in spite of a the difficult economic situation. and Aa strong support will be also continued in animal husbandry because of the low farm-gate milk prices.

Tatarstan is considered as a potential region for future IPNI projects. Dr. Vladimir Nosov, Director, Southern and Eastern Russia, travelled to Tatarstan to discuss opportunities for cooperation with the Kazan State Agrarian University (KSAU). He also visited the Research Farm of the university to observe long-term field experiments conducted by the Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science. Dr. A.A. Hodyankov, Agrochemist, BPC, took active participation in these activities in Tatarstan.

Photos from the Field Day