Land and soil

The total area of the supply of land comprises 15799,6 thousand hectares. The tilled land comprises 40,6%. There are 105,7 thousand hectares of irrigated land in the Altai territory, 99,5 thousand hectares of them are ploughed field. 8,5 thousand hectares of land are reclaimed area, the major part of this area is natural meadowland (7,3 thousand hectares). Excessively wet and swamp land are drained which is mainly situated in floodplains of the rivers of forest-steppe area. The soil cover of the Altai territory is rather various and is presented with thirty types of soil where chernozem, grey forest and chestnut soil prevail (88,5% of ploughed field). Half of the ploughed field have enough phosphorus; the third part of the land has potassium level lower than 50% of the norm. Almost all plants need nitrogen fertilizer and lack zinc, sulphur, cobalt and molybdenum. The soil with the acid reaction comprise about 18% of farm land and 14,5% of cropland. Saline soil in the Altai territory comprise 1042,1 thousand hectares; solonetzic and solonetz soil comprise 827,2 thousand hectares. Farm land have 982,6 thousand hectares of saline soil and 807,2 thousand hectares of solonetzic and solonetz soil. Ploughed field includes 295,8 thousand hectares saline soil and 323,7 thousand hectares of solonetzic and solonetz soil. Pollution of land and soil with the waste of stockbreeding complexes and farms, silo wastes, different chemicals of mineral fertilizers and pesticides as well as water source siltation, topsoil compression under the influence of heavy farm engines and soil cultivating equipment are considered to have a very bad effect on land and soil. A package plan for termination the pollution source and disturbed land restoration is carried out in the Altai territory as well as other measures aimed at rising land and soil fertility and protection against deflation and scouring. That will help to improve environment, regulate and raise soil fertility. Information source: The State committee of environment protection of the Altai territory and the Institute of water and environmental problems.