KHOROG, April 22, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- This year, farmers in Gorno Badakhshan plan to increase cultivated areas by 80 hectares, the GBAO agriculture directorate head Naghzibek Nazriyev said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, local farmers will plant grains on 7,376 hectares, potatoes on 2,073 hectares, vegetables on 563, industrial crops on 72 hectares, and fodder crops on 2,014 hectares.

“Areas under grains will be increased by 32 hectares and areas under fodder crops will be increased by 18 hectares,” Nazriyev said, noting that they have stocked 2,600 tons of grain seeds, 5,500 tons of potato seeds and 480 kilograms of vegetable seeds.

He added that the region had enough tractors and other agricultural machines made ready for sowing campaign.