The targets for the growth of agricultural production and agricultural exports have been exceeded. Last year, Russian agricultural exports exceeded imports for the first time.

Last year, the growth rates of agricultural production, exports and production of value-added products were higher than planned. The Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said this at a government meeting, presenting the National Report on the implementation of the state program for the development of agriculture in 2020, the press service of the department reported. According to him, the index of agricultural production in all farms against the base year 2017 was 105.7% against the plan of 103.8%. This result is made up, among other things, of the index of crop production, which in 2020 is estimated at 106.1% - 3.7 percentage points above the plan, the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture noted.

Patrushev recalled that Russian farmers received one of the best grain crops - 133.5 million tons, including 85.9 million tons of wheat. According to the basic forecast of the agricultural department, grain harvest in 2021 may reach 127 million tons, including 81 million tons of wheat. For individual crops, records were set last year, for example, for rice, rapeseed, fruits and greenhouse vegetables. An increase in indicators was also ensured in various areas of animal husbandry - in the production of MILK, livestock and poultry, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement. Now the dynamics in this sector is positive, in 2021 the ministry expects to meet the target indicators. In addition, compared to the level of 2017, the food production index last year was 111.7%, which is 2.1 percentage points higher than the plan, and the beverage production index reached 108%.

Patrushev also said that last year, Russian exports of agricultural products for the first time exceeded imports: more than $30.5 billion worth of agricultural products were supplied to foreign markets. The growth rate of exports in 2020 compared to the base 2017 exceeded 141%, which is more than planned values ​​by 22 p.p. “Thus, the second key goal of the state program has been fulfilled,” the HEAD of the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized. The added value of agricultural products last year almost reached 3.5 trillion rubles. with a plan of 3.2 trillion rubles.

For 2021, the plan for the EXPORT of agricultural products is $28 billion, while the ministry previously predicted that exports could be at the level of $30 billion. During the final Board of the Ministry of Agriculture, Patrushev noted that RUSSIA should increase the export of high value-added products. Last year, its share in the supply structure amounted to 15%. “Increasing export potential is evidence of the sustainable growth of the agro-industrial complex as a whole. In the 1990s, Russia even imported grain, the minister recalled. — Now grains are the main export item. The success of agrarians and the support of the state allow us to systematically change the vector exclusively from grain exports, strengthening other areas.”

During the meeting, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stressed that it is necessary to continue work on creating a competitive and high-tech agricultural complex. “The top priority is food security. We are talking about providing a wide selection of high-quality domestic products at affordable prices,” the head of the Cabinet said. A lot has already been done for successful import substitution in this area. We fully provide ourselves with grain, vegetable oil, SUGAR, MEAT and fish. Not so fast, but quite confidently, milk production is growing.” Although Russian agricultural products are in high demand abroad, it is now more important to provide consumers with the necessary food in the domestic market, Mishustin added.

Mishustin announced the launch of a digital service for farmers to receive state support

“The achievement of the goals of the state program in the current year and in the future will be facilitated, among other things, by the digitalization of the agro-industrial complex, a general increase in the technological level of our industry, and the involvement of agricultural land in circulation. Also, of course, in dialogue with farmers and regions, we will continue to improve the system of state support,” Patrushev concluded.