27.05.2015 State and local government discussed questions of development of agriculture in the territory of the Smolensk region

In an opening speech Alexey Ostrovskiy noted that Administration of Smolensk region carries out the systematic work which is directed on sowing expansion of crops. So, the Corporation of investment development of the region was created in 2014, it provides formation of Reserve Fund of lands of Smolensk region. «Nowadays there are projects on formation in the Smolensk region of investment platforms which are more than 250 thousand hectares that will allow to make region agriculture more attractive for investors», – the acting Governor emphasized and gave as an example the arrival of the agro-industrial holding «Miratorg» which started realization of the first stage of the investment project on development of beef farming on the area of 20 thousand hectares.

Alexey Ostrovskiy informed that it is provided to allocate 1,5 billion rubles of budget funds for development of agricultural branch in 2015 that for 400 million rubles exceeds the level of 2014.

Alexey Ostrovskiy paid special attention to that Administration of Smolensk region assigns a key part to local government in the work of development of agriculture.

The main report at meeting was made by the Head of the Department of the Smolensk region of agriculture and supplies Tatyana Rybchenko. According to her, the spring sowing campaign of this year began in the first decade of April that is two weeks earlier than the terms which were established in other regions.

338 agricultural organizations and farms took part in spring sowing campaign. Thus a significant amount of agricultural enterprises of small and medium sized business have increased their crop acreage. So, 129 farms (38%) kept the former sizes of the cultivated areas at the level of 2014, 125 farms (37%) increased them. Besides, there are farms which considerably increase cultivated areas: CJSC «Troparevo» of the Pochinok area (+1 250 hectares by 2014), LLC «Zolotaya niva» of the Novodugino area (+480 hectares), CJSC «Zolotaya niva» of the Safonov area (+300 hectares), LLC «Ustrom» of the Glinka area (+ 270 hectares) and others.

As of May 26 it has been actually seeded 151 thousand hectares of spring crops that is 5 thousand hectares more than the level of last year. The plan has been completely implemented in 17 areas, in 5 areas – more than for 90%.

Due to joint effort of state and local authorities in formation of demands in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation in 2015 a month earlier, than last year, it has been paid 190 million rubles for acquisition of mineral fertilizers and fuel and lubricants to 259 agricultural producers that considerably accelerated works on preparation for spring sowing.

According to Tatyana Rybchenko, nowadays state government conducts work on payment during June and July of the current year to agricultural producers of the second tranche on rendering untied support in plant growing area. Total amount of the budgetary transfers will make 233 million rubles that is 21 million rubles more, than in 2014. Every commercial farm unit which signed the contract for receiving untied support in plant growing area in 2015 can count on additional payment of 22% of the subsidize sum which was received on the first disbursement during February and March of this year.

Besides, as of May 22 163 million rubles of the state support have been paid to commercial farm units for acquisition of necessary current assets. As a result agricultural people have received 353 million rubles of the budgetary transfers and it is 53 million rubles more than it was planned.

It should be noted that there was an increase in crops of such significant cultures as wheat, barley and grain legumes. In the current year a group of white straw crop makes 56% in structure of spring crops. Sowing of corn, a feed crop that is so valuable for production of milk, is increasing for purposes of strengthening and improvement of food supply.

The question at the meeting was about realization of policy of import substitution and support of agriculture in municipalities. Speaking about import substitution, Tatyana Rybchenko emphasized that the most relevant direction in the solution of this question is development of potato growing that interfered by lack of capacities on production, storage and processing of production.

In conclusion of the results of spring sowing campaign, Tatyana Rybchenko declared that good harvests of the main crop species are expected in this year thanks to punctual and high-quality preparation. In all categories of farms production of crop and grain legumes is expected of 235-238 thousand tons that is on 7-10 thousand tons more than the level of 2014, production of potatoes – 250 thousand tons (+ 25 thousand tons), flax fibers – 2,9 thousand tons (+ 0,1 thousand tons). Production of vegetables is expected at the level of last year and that is about 80 thousand tons.

During the meeting there was also discussed the development of grain production, food peas from own raw materials and prospects of fibre flax cultivation in the region. «As you know, by the results of my meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, Government and the Ministry of Agriculture have made decision to revise approaches of subsidizing in branch of fibre flax cultivation: subsidization from Federation will be higher, than it was earlier, with smaller investments from the subject. It will allow to help fibre flax cultivation», – the acting Governor declared.