Extracts from Dmitry Medvedev’s speech at a meeting in Kursk.
Meeting on measures to increase the output of farm products
Dmitry Medvedev: The reason for our meeting is not routine – it concerns decisions related to our reciprocal measures in respect to some countries. Based on these decisions, we have to revise our state programme to develop agriculture, focusing on those sectors of farm production that are not sufficiently developed.
The Government’s absolute priority is the effective functioning of the agrarian sector. This issue has become more pressing following Russia’s decision to suspend the import of farm products from EU countries, the Unites States and some other states. Our farming industry has a unique opportunity to make a breakthrough in its development.
All appropriate measures need to be taken to substitute the import of some farm products. For this purpose, we plan to move faster to put into place new mechanisms to support the farming industry, which will help to boost the production of domestic meat, milk, vegetables and fruit.
Dmitry Medvedev: "Russia imports up to 80 percent of sugar beet seeds, 65 percent of vegetable seeds and up to 30 percent of potato seeds."
On 11 August, I signed an instruction authorising the Ministry of Agriculture to review the state programme to ensure that imports are substituted by quality domestic farm produce.
Meeting on measures to increase the output of farm products
Even despite serious budget constraints, we are committed to allocating funds to this end, if need be. But we have to identify areas that are critical to the country’s subsistence and, where desirable, we must achieve the best possible results in a relatively short term. As for the lag that resulted after the signing of the President’s decree and the Government’s resolution, so far imports have been suspended for 12 months and this decision can be revised. It makes no sense to engage in guesswork but, no doubt, we need to avail ourselves of this opportunity to boost the competitiveness of our products and simply create new production facilities.
I will name three areas in the agrarian sector that require our special attention.
First, upgrading seed-farming facilities. Annually, Russia imports up to 80 percent of sugar beet seeds, 65 percent of vegetable seeds and up to 30 percent of potato seeds.
Of course, we need to breathe new life into domestic selection and shape flexible conditions that will be conducive to the work of seed-growing farms. Therefore, the appropriate orders will be issued. I believe that this Government support will have a double effect. It will not only ensure our food security in the future, but also allow us to support our science.
Horticulture and greenhouse vegetable growing is another vital area of Government support. Every year, Russia has to increase its greenhouse-growing area by several hundred hectares on average. Such production comes at a cost and requires special conditions, such as a power supply, so I will be ready to issue an instruction to this effect as well.
Dmitry Medvedev: "We need to breathe new life into domestic selection and shape flexible conditions that will be conducive to the work of seed-growing farms. Therefore, the appropriate orders will be issued. I believe that this Government support will have a double effect."
And, finally, the third area is the development of logistics centres for storing and processing farming produce.
Of course, this list is far from complete. We need new programmes to increase the production of milk and meat in a bid to meet domestic demand, regardless of the sanctions and reciprocal restrictions.
The most important thing is to make sure that shop shelves are full of high quality products labelled, “Made in Russia”.
Naturally, another issue of no less significance is affordable prices, so all of the regional authorities have to continue monitoring the movement of prices in the food market. Any deviation from the average price should be justified, so as not to give rise to suspicion. We should be monitoring the situation to see what is happening and control the price movement whenever possible.
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