At a meeting on the development of agro-industrial and fisheries complexes, Putin named the main priorities in the agro-industrial complex

April 5, 2022 The President of the Russian Federation held a meeting via videoconference on the development of agro-industrial, fisheries and related industries

Vladimir Putin noted that it was over the past two years that the situation on the global food market has noticeably worsened, which was the result of mistakes in the economic, energy and food policies of developed countries.

“And the situation has only worsened in recent weeks. Against the backdrop of minimal food supplies in the world, new sanctions are being introduced, the work of enterprises and the logistics of supplying fertilizers from RUSSIA and Belarus are blocked, and their own production of fertilizers in the West is falling due to high prices for natural gas, which is also the result of their activities in fact - ours partners in the West,” the President of the Russian Federation said.

“I will say that in these current conditions, a shortage of fertilizers, say, on the global market is inevitable. Not all countries will be able to purchase the required volume of fertilizers for the current season, which means that productivity will also decrease ... At the same time, it is important to note that developed countries will try to repurchase and draw over food flows through the mechanism of financial emission. Thus, of course, they will inevitably exacerbate the shortage of food in the poorest regions of the world, spur new waves of migration and, in general, drive world food prices even higher, Putin said. - Such a scenario is more than real, and we - you and I here in Russia - need to be ready for it. This means that it is necessary to minimize the negative external effects for our citizens, to increase the production in Russia and the supply to the domestic market of high-quality, affordable food, including fish products. This is a key task for the current year. At the same time, it is strategically important to reduce the dependence of the domestic agro-industrial complex and the fishing industry on import purchases, and along the entire chain, as they say, from the field to the counter.

I want to pay special attention to such items as seeds and breeding products, vitamins, feed additives, plant protection products. Here we need to set clear guidelines for import substitution and persistently pursue them in the very near future. Taking into account the potential of the domestic agro-industrial complex, our science and industry, we have all the opportunities for this.

Let me remind you that after the imposition of sanctions against Russia in 2014, our producers were able to take advantage of the window of opportunity in the agricultural sector due to the fact that the domestic market was freed up, received a powerful impetus for development and gained serious momentum - of course, with the support of the state, with the support of the Government .

Over the past seven years, the output of agricultural products in Russia has increased by 15 percent, food - by more than a quarter. For the main food groups, our domestic market is fully provided with our own food, our own production, and for some goods, such as sunflower oil, grain, the capacities of domestic enterprises cover demand in excess, and a very good EXPORT potential of Russia has emerged.

At the end of 2020, our country became a net exporter of agricultural products, that is, we sell more food and agricultural products abroad than we buy. Even 20 years ago it seemed absolutely impossible, unbelievable, and today our deliveries cover about 160 countries of the world.

Let me emphasize that this result was achieved, among other things, during the pandemic, when production and logistics ties were disrupted all over the world. But our agrarians adequately coped with this test and even strengthened their positions.

It is clear that this year, against the backdrop of a global food shortage, we will have to be more prudent in our food supplies abroad, namely, to carefully monitor the parameters of such exports to countries that are clearly hostile towards us.

At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the increased production volumes allow us to ensure that food prices in Russia are lower than on the world market. Food self-sufficiency is Russia's real competitive advantage, and it should work in the interests of our citizens. We must protect them from fluctuations in market conditions, from price fluctuations in the global food market.

I would like to draw the attention of the Government: this work must be carried out on a continuous basis, with a clear, visible result for people and for business.

In this regard, let me remind you that we already have a floating duty on the export of grain and sunflower oil. For the stable work of farmers, the fertilizer market is regulated. We made these decisions in advance, and we did the right thing.

It is necessary to control the supply of the industry with fuels and lubricants, seeds and breeding products. And of course, enterprises should be able to attract borrowed funds in the required amount to carry out current tasks. In addition, in the conditions of external restrictions, the most important issue is the availability of modern equipment and spare parts.

I want to emphasize again: the key task for the Government, heads of regions, and enterprises is to preserve and support business activity in the Russian agro-industrial complex, so that our farmers, fisheries, and food producers in general open new enterprises, create new jobs, and increase the output of those groups in the first place. goods that we are still partly forced to buy abroad. Naturally, we do not produce bananas, and this is a separate article of our import.

I believe that we should set a very real, reasonable benchmark, namely, in the coming years, domestic agriculture, food production and supporting industries should reach outstripping growth rates - you yourself are talking about this, of course, I cannot help but agree - more than three percent per year.

To do this, it will be necessary to multiply the volume of reclamation, involve new agricultural lands in circulation and increase the intensity of their use through the application of fertilizers, extensive mechanization, and the introduction of modern information technologies. And in agriculture, information technology, as it turned out, is very much in demand. And of course, it is necessary to increase the availability of credit resources for the modernization of production facilities and the renewal of the fishing fleet.”

Vladimir Putin also called the integrated development of rural areas, the construction of roads and other infrastructure, social facilities, and modern housing for villagers an absolute priority.

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The President of the Russian Federation ended his speech again with the topic of fertilizers: “... I repeat, I want to emphasize this: we have no desire to harm anyone. In no case. We just need to carefully deal with all this - with logistics, and with insurers, with everyone. This is the deficit today. The deficit will be taken. Will. Nobody wants to die of hunger. We need to carefully look at all these problems and solve them, primarily based on our own interests.”