As of August 15 2008, the gross grain harvest in Belarus has reached 6.660 million tonnes vs. 6.617 million tonnes from the same period of 2007. The agricultural enterprises of the Brest, Gomel and Grodno oblasts improved their last year’s result, too, BelTA learnt from the main plant growing department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The Minsk oblast has cropped 1.655 million tonnes of grain (1.8 million tonnes in 2007), the Grodno oblast 1.3 million tonnes. The top three also includes the Brest oblast with 1.1 million tonnes. The Gomel and Mogilev oblasts are expected to harvest 1 million tonnes by the end of August 15. The Vitebsk oblast has cropped 684 thousand tonnes. By August 16, the gross grain harvest in Belarus may exceed 7 million tonnes due to a fast pace of harvesting – 4.5%, and in the Minsk, Grodno and Mogilev oblasts – more than 5%. All in all, Belarus has harvested 76.5% of the total area under grain crops and leguminous plants. The Gomel oblast harvested 91.2% of the cropping area, Brest oblast 86%, Grodno 78.2%, Minsk 74%, Mogilev 72%, Vitebsk 59%. 90 combined harvesters will be sent to the Vitebsk oblast by those enterprises of the Brest and Gomel oblasts that have already finished the harvesting campaign. These harvesters will be delivered to five northern regions of the Vitebsk oblast. They are to start their work on August 18. The efficiency of the harvesting campaign can be accounted for by good weather, skilled organization of the campaign, coordinated work of the agricultural and engineering services. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, by the end of this week, Belarus will harvest about 85% of the area under grain crops and by August 20 it will complete harvesting the spiked cereals. By the end of this week, the Brest and Gomel oblasts are to finish grain harvesting.