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Erfurt (dpa / th) - After a crisp frost in February and the following first warm spring days with temperatures of up to 20 degrees, farmers are looking at the spring cultivation.

The Thuringian farmers' association expects sowing to begin in the next 14 days, as plant cultivation expert André Rathgeber said on request.

"Some of the floors are still muddy and machines cannot drive on them."

This is especially true for the southern regions.

North of Autobahn 4, however, it looks pretty good.

In general, the large amount of snow and meltwater would have done the soil good after the drought of the past summer, even if the water deficit was not completely compensated.

The winter cereals sown in autumn were not affected by the frost because of the protective snow cover, said Rathgeber.

"The winter crops got through there well."

However, this also applies to the flocks of mice, which annoyed farmers last year because of the loss of crops by the rodents.

The period with severe frost was too short for an effective decimation of the mouse population.

"In some regions they are already active again on arable land and grassland."

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According to the farmers' association, fertilization with artificial fertilizers and liquid manure begins in the regions where the soil conditions permit.

The latter may be applied to the fields again since the beginning of February after a break since the end of the previous year's harvest.

Last year, more than 350,000 hectares of grain were grown in Thuringia.

The main type of cereal is winter wheat.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210228-99-625103 / 2