What problems have arisen in the meat and dairy farming of the Vladimir region and how do the authorities intend to solve them?

The chief agrarian of the Vladimir region Konstantin Demidov spoke about the systematic and new problems in the region's agriculture and possible ways to solve them

The biggest problem in dairy farming, which is fundamental for the Vladimir region, is the reduction in the number of cattle. The growth of production is only due to the productivity of each animal. It is necessary to increase the livestock annually by at least 2%, so that by 2030 the livestock will be at least 65 thousand, - Konstantin Demidov set the task.

In addition, 50% of raw milk is exported for processing outside the Vladimir region, respectively, the budget does not receive taxes, new jobs are not created. By 2030, it is necessary to increase the volume of milk processing by 1.5 times. For this, Vladimir enterprises are ready to allocate subsidies for the modernization and purchase of equipment, including for deep processing of milk - to cheese or milk powder.

In beef cattle breeding, the problem is also associated with a reduction in livestock. For example, the number of pigs has declined sharply since 2015 due to African swine fever. Konstantin Demidov did not report the reasons for the decrease in the number of poultry and cattle, but simply stated this fact.

The authorities of the Vladimir region expect to restore industrial pig farming. Demidov has already stated that by the end of 2022, production may resume at the site of the former Mortadel pig farm in the Aleksandrovsky district. And restoration work has already begun.

Negotiations are underway with an investor for a pig farm in the Lesnoy microdistrict. However, the Vladimir White House has been announcing the search for investors to save Vladimirskoye pig breeding CJSC since 2019.

According to Konstantin Demidov, the process of converting the Tsentralnaya poultry farm to the production of duck meat, which was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, has also resumed. These measures will help increase the production of poultry meat from 39,000 tons to 78,000 tons.

The problem with the introduction of agricultural land into circulation in the Vladimir region has already become systematic. More than 260 hectares of sown areas are not used, 170 thousand hectares of land are overgrown with trees and shrubs. Putting abandoned land into circulation is a very expensive procedure. There are problems with registration of plots: more than 90 hectares of agricultural land are unclaimed land shares that cannot be used without title documents.

According to the authorities, more than 88 thousand hectares by 2030 can be cultivated and sown with useful crops without much labor, since they are not yet heavily overgrown with woody vegetation. The possibility of increasing the subsidy for the purchase of special equipment for putting land into circulation, as well as increasing the subsidy to reimburse part of the costs of the owner who decided to cultivate an abandoned plot, is being discussed.

Konstantin Demidov spoke about new investment projects in the field of agriculture. In particular, in crop production, the Melagro company (Melenkovsky district) will put into circulation about 2 thousand hectares of land from 2022 to 2027, of which 960 hectares are for planting potatoes. The volume of production will be 30 thousand tons by 2027. A base for storage and preparation of potatoes for sale will be built.

Another investment project is the cultivation of technical hemp. The Vladtekhagro company bought 1,600 hectares of land into ownership, by 2027 the sown area should increase to 5,000 hectares. The authorities intend to increase subsidies for this industry - for the production of seeds and fiber, as well as for the purchase of special equipment for the collection and preparation of straw.

For the production of milk in a high degree of readiness, the project of the SPK "Kolp" for the construction of a complex for 595 heads of cattle. The issue of building a new livestock complex for 1,500 heads in Krasnoe Zarechye LLC is being worked out. Construction of a complex for 600 heads in the village of Lednevo is underway. The issue of building a complex in Tarbaevo LLC for 2,400 heads is being worked out.

The implementation of these projects will increase the gross milk production by 30,000 tons, and when the projects are brought to full capacity, up to 60,000 tons. By 2030, the volume of agricultural production should grow to 65 billion rubles, or + 200% compared to 2020.

The modernization of food enterprises is carried out mainly by the enterprises themselves - the project of the Vladimir Bakery in the village of Khryastovo to build a plant for the production of snack products, ABI Product is implementing the construction of a plant for the production of sausages with a capacity of up to 600 thousand tons per year and 2 thousand jobs. Since last year, the Prodservice company has been building a production site for meat processing in the Sobinsky district.

The implementation of investment projects in the food industry will increase production volumes: meat products from 430 thousand tons to 1 million tons per year, dairy products - from 131 to 200 thousand tons per year, bread and pasta - from 220 thousand to 330 thousand tons, drinks - up to 17 million decalitres.

“I am not naming the amount of investment, because recent events have greatly affected the cost of construction, equipment and other parameters. Of course, they need to be reviewed. But there is no doubt that these projects are relevant and necessary. And in the conditions of sanctions pressure, the agro-industrial complex of the region has the task of 100% providing the population with food. For us, these sanctionsshould become opportunities - to release a new product, increase production volumes and occupy a wider niche in the food market,” said Konstantin Demidov, Director of the Department of Agriculture of the Vladimir Region.