"According to operational information, winter crops have grown on an area of 2.51 million hectares, or 88% of all crops. Throughout the south of Russia, not excluding the Rostov region, in January the background air temperature was 2-7 degrees above the winter norm. In places in the Azov, southern and central regions, winter crops continue to grow weakly during the daytime. And now the work of agronomists is focused on the winter field. The main task during this period is to prevent the death of winter crops. Special attention should be paid this year to the correct selection of the timing and types of early spring fertilizing to create favorable conditions for crops to come out of overwintering," said Konstantin Rachalovsky, Deputy Governor of the Rostov Region and Minister of Agriculture and Food.