The progress of the region's farms' preparation for spring field work was discussed at a staff meeting at the Volyn Regional State Administration. At the meeting it was noted that in 2004 it is planned to obtain 651.2 thousand tons of grain, which is 91 thousand tons more than last year, sugar beets — 36 thousand tons more, potatoes — 1033 thousand tons, vegetables — 125, milk — 503, meat — 75.5 thousand tons, eggs — 226.1 million pieces. The region's farms are provided with seeds of spring grain and leguminous crops, which are of conditioning quality; 85% — with elite seed of the third reproduction. However, in the farms of Kamin-Kashyrskyi, Kivertsivskyi, and Lokachynskyi districts, there is a shortage of it ranging from 40 to 60% of the need. As of February 27, in the region the readiness of tractors and soil-cultivating implements was 75 and 85% respectively, seeders and planting machines — 86%. CONTEXT-MEDIA reference: For the 2004 harvest, all categories of farms sowed 187.2 thousand hectares of winter grain crops, including 102.6 thousand hectares in agricultural formations, which is 17.1% more than last year's level. The crops are in good and satisfactory condition. Spring crops will be placed on 256.1 thousand hectares. Due to marketing problems, the areas under potatoes and vegetables are somewhat decreasing by 4.9 and 1.4 thousand hectares respectively.