Agriculture of Russia demonstrated its achievements at the 18-th exhibition “Golden autumn”, held at ENEA in Moscow from 05 to 08 October, 2016 with the support and participation of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia and the General sponsorship of the Rosselkhozbank (Agricultural Bank). Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev told about the main goals of the domestic agricultural industry given the challenges of the global economy, strategic tasks of the government and attracting investment to this industry.
The main internal challenge remains import substitution, which has already achieved significant successes, but also the implementation of advanced technological solutions that will ensure the needs of the population.
Russian realities and trends of the national economy of Russia have untapped potential growth in the industry. According to A. Tkachev, the Russians have today insufficient quantity of agricultural products in the diet. Compared with other countries, particularly with Western Europe, Russia is now using less fertilizer, which negatively affects productivity. It is also one of the concerns of the government.
For the development of agricultural industry the government is developing measures to support, it is not going to reduce it. “Next year on the implementation of the state program of agricultural development it is planned to allocate not less than 214 billion rubles”, – said A. N. Tkachev. The Minister, in particular, shared plans to subsidize rates for the farmers to 5% per annum (the difference will be reimbursed to banks).
According to the Minister, for the government it is important to create such a climate in the industry in which the entrepreneurs will be interested in the investment. Today, as a result of policies in different regions of the country “appeared high-tech industries, not conceding world counterparts, agricultural holdings and farm enterprises that can compete with Western companies,” he said.
If we talk about global trends, global agriculture will grow. Russia needs to take its rightful place and open up export markets.
Much attention has been focused on the science and implementation of its achievements. “The main priorities of support for farmers related to technical re-equipment of the industry, with the development of breeding, genetics and seed production centres, produce planting and pedigree materials. In this area significant results are already achieved and the exhibition clearly demonstrates it. Our challenge now is to consolidate the positive trend to make the industry a truly modern and competitive,” – said Dzhambulat Hatuov, the first Deputy Minister of agriculture.
In 2013 by a presidential decree was created Federal Agency of scientific organizations (FANO Russia), which demonstrated the remarkable achievements of scientific institutions in four areas: wine, potatoes, poultry, sugar beets.
In an interview to cultural and political magazine “E Vesti” Artem Antokhin, Deputy head of Department of coordination and support of organizations in the field of agricultural Sciences, spoke about the goals and objectives of science in agriculture. Vladimir Volik, Director of Department of regulation of agricultural markets of the Ministry of agriculture, explained some aspects of government policy in this area.
E Vesti: Many veterinarians and other people involved in agriculture have told us that there is an urgent need in our own seeds and populations, because our livestock is ruined and you (FANO) is almost the only island that has retained it. What are the prospects of Your mission in accordance with the decree and funding?
Artem Antokhin: The medium-term objective, which we put in 5 years to reach the population restoration of our domestic goats, because their population is minimal, literally tens of thousands of the herd, and clean 2-3 thousand heads.
The prospects are good, the question is how it is in practice. Science is science, but there are also consumers, not all of them at the moment are interested in this, because they need ready-made solutions “turnkey”. Our science is not always able to offer it yet.
In some other agricultural sectors – potatoes, sugar beets, our manufacturers are interested because of own breeding material, they are willing to invest in breeding centers, etc., poultry is slightly different issue. They may be willing to invest, but at a certain level.
In animal husbandry there are different gradations: a parent, grandparent flock, first loudspeakers, second order. Our manufacturers are maximum reproducers of the first order. This is one of the steps, which allows them to fill their egg or beef, but with foreign hybrids, the final hybrids of birds.
Now virtually all of our poultry is fed on Western supplies, day-old Chicks and eggs. And it is convenient for the manufacturers. It is more expensive than our product, but in this case they do not need to change their business model. We have this bird in the necessary extent of our industry, we will be able to present it only after a period of time. They say – “you guys are a state institution, than you will do all this at your expense, and when you do, when everything is adjusted, then come, we could buy something.” While the situation is like that.
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E Vesti: Vladimir, a visitor sees at the exhibition the development of agriculture in Russia. We would like to know Your opinion about this exhibition and the achievements of agriculture of Russia.
Vladimir Volik: First, this is my second time attend the exhibition. In 2015, I caught it in the Crocus expo. This exhibition I like more because of its organization, and also past and present exhibitions differ in industry results.
Trend that today the Minister of agriculture Alexander Tkachev announced, the direction of growth of industries in higher added value, is a very important trend. We were given the assignment to achieve 7% growth per year in non-oil products, and this is no easy task, believe me. We develop different measures, including, perhaps, some investment decisions. This refers to tasks such as: less reliance on raw materials, large processing, food industry, the development of domestic demand for products, the development of a special programme of export development of agricultural products.
E Vesti: We came to FANO reserach corner, where our science demonstrates, in addition to wonderful Chicks, also grapes, sugar beets, a number of other programs. I understand that in the new system, science is working closely with the practice and decides its objectives?
Vladimir Volik: We are not forgetting that there is a fundamental problem of science, but in terms of application science it should not be closed in itself, it must make its work and had the opportunity to pay off. In this sense, today we are developing science-business mechanisms. For this task there are specialized departments, which are in fact customers. There are about 6 very interesting programmes related to substitution of imported seeds and breeding.
E Vesti: And the last question, has our Russian manufacturer any interest in the domestic successes of science? Is there any interest to implement domestic achievements, saturate the domestic market and to export on the part of the farmer?
Vladimir Volik: In General, any businessman when he sees that the project gives him the yield, of course, will have interest in scientific achievements. But we still have to show it so that businesses along with the science.
I think that if we ask, what business needs from the point of view of technologies that increase the efficiency, we will be able to give proper objective science. Scientists will focus on practical tasks, they also need to understand the feasibility of their discoveries.
I understand all the difficulties, because sometimes science and business use different languages. This requires the bridge that the Ministry and its departments will try to build. If we combine the tasks and explain them, then everything will work out.
