Increasing production volumes and growing exports. Brylo on the tasks of the agro-industrial complex for 2023

During the Address of the President to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly, the HEAD of state focused on the development of agriculture. According to him, food security is fully ensured in Belarus, and over the past five years our country has grown the best grain crop. So, while in many countries of the world the issue of food supply is acute, Belarus is only increasing production volumes. In addition, the EXPORT of agricultural raw materials and products in 2022 set a new record, exceeding $8 billion against expectations of $6 billion. agriculture and food Igor Brylo, commenting on the Address of the President to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly.

- Igor Vyacheslavovich, tell us how agriculture is developing in Belarus now? What are the goals for this year?

- Approaches and main parameters for the development of agribusiness organizations for 2023 have already been determined. They are included in the state program "Agricultural Business" for 2021-2025. So, this year we need to ensure the growth of gross output in farms of all categories by at least 104.2%, and exports by at least 105.5%.

In particular, we plan to increase livestock production by 4% through the production of 8 million tons of MILK, as well as the cultivation of 1.8 million tons of livestock and poultry. In addition, we will increase crop production by 8%. This will be achieved by growing 8.9 million tons of grain, 1 million tons of rapeseed, 5 million tons of SUGAR beet, 55 thousand tons of flax fiber, 1.1 million tons of potatoes, 610 thousand tons of vegetables.

- What indicators in terms of production volumes have been achieved so far?

- Already in January-February 2023, the growth rate of gross output in farms of all categories amounted to 102.9% compared to January-February 2022, including in livestock - 102.8%, crop production - 106.9%. I note that the growth rates are provided by all regions.

Since the beginning of this year, the livestock sector has been demonstrating a positive trend in increasing the main types of products. In January-February, milk production increased by 3.8%, and livestock and poultry - by 4.3%, including cattle - by 1.5%, pigs - 0.6%, poultry - 9.3 %.

An increase in the volume of livestock production is also predicted based on the results of work for the first quarter of this year. The rate of milk production is expected at the level of 104%, cattle - 101.3%, pigs - 100.7%, poultry - 107.9%.

- Land reclamation is one of the most important directions on the issue of increasing acreage. What are your plans in this direction for 2023?

In total, reclamation activities were carried out across the country in 2022 on an area of ​​57.3 thousand hectares. Of these, the reconstruction of reclamation systems took place on an area of ​​29.9 thousand hectares (3% more than planned), and cultural melioration - on an area of ​​27.4 thousand hectares, which is 5% more than planned. Thus, the plans were fulfilled by all regions.

In the course of financing reclamation measures in 2023, work will be carried out to restore reclamation systems on an area of ​​110 thousand hectares. According to scientists, thanks to this (if land users comply with the requirements of technological regulations for the cultivation of crops developed in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus), their yield will increase by 1.3-3 times, depending on the initial degree of wear of the systems. As a result, the additional harvest for five years will be about 10 million centners of fodder units. In equivalent, this is about 1 million tons of milk.

By carrying out purposeful work in the field of land reclamation and their responsible use, it is possible to obtain 50-52 centners of fodder units from each hectare of arable land, and 30-32 centners of fodder units from grassland lands.

- The sowing campaign has already begun in the country. Will it pass at the usual time or will it move due to the weather? What has changed in the area structure?

- Fairly warm weather in the second decade of March made it possible to start spring field work, including sowing in Gomel, in most of the territory of Brest, as well as in certain areas of Grodno and MINSK regions. However, the prevailing unfavorable weather conditions in the last decade of March - early April practically suspended all field work. Similar weather conditions prevailed last year. Then, in the first ten days of April, heavy rainfall and low temperatures reduced the rate of sowing of early spring crops, so when favorable weather conditions come and the soil dries out, the pace of work will increase.

No significant changes are planned in the structure of sown areas for the 2023 harvest. We also rely on more productive winter crops - cereals. At the same time, compared to last year, the area sown with winter barley was increased by 2.7 times and winter rapeseed was sown by 32,000 hectares more.

- What kind of grain harvest do we expect this year?

- In accordance with the state program "Agricultural Business", this year it is planned to ensure grain production in the amount of 8.9 million tons. So, we must additionally add 0.3 million tons to the level of 2022.

- What measures are being taken in our country to increase crop yields?

- To obtain the planned yield of agricultural plants, work is underway to provide agricultural organizations with mineral fertilizers for spring sowing. So, as of April 4, 753.9 thousand tons of the active substance have been accumulated - this is 61% of the need.

Taking into account a sample of the volumes of mineral fertilizers in April-May 2023, as well as quotas of nitrogen fertilizers in June, their supply for spring sowing will be 90% of the demand and 102% of the corresponding level in 2022. In addition, work is underway to acquire the necessary drugs to protect plants during the growing season from weeds, pests and diseases.

Let me emphasize that the reproductive and varietal composition of agricultural plants is updated annually in agricultural organizations, and the most high-yielding varieties and hybrids are introduced into production. All these measures allow you to get the maximum yield of crops.

- Do we have enough equipment for field work?

- The equipment available in agricultural organizations allows carrying out the whole range of field work. In total, agricultural organizations operate over 212 thousand units of machinery and equipment, including 35 thousand tractors, more than 27.5 thousand units of trailed tillage and sowing equipment, 16.5 thousand machines for applying fertilizers and chemicals, as well as other technology.

The basis of the machine and tractor fleet of agricultural organizations is the equipment of domestic manufacturers. If in 1990 the country produced only 13% of the necessary equipment, today our industrial and agro-service organizations produce about 97% of the equipment needed.

- How are things going with the use of precision farming?

- Domestic industrial enterprises produce agricultural machinery, machines and units equipped with elements of the precision farming system. Evaluation of the efficiency of this equipment showed the possibility of reducing fuel consumption by up to 14%, as well as reducing costs when using a system of differentiated fertilizer application in combination with a field mapping system up to 23%.

Today, the level of technological development allows the production and operation of smart machines that can automatically track the execution of the technological process. At the same time, the availability of such machines is not enough for the implementation of precision farming. It is necessary to combine machines and equipment into a system that works as a single software and hardware complex. Now the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, together with other interested parties, is working in this direction.

- What are your plans to increase the production of milk and MEAT, as well as to modernize the livestock industry this year?

- Milk production in agricultural organizations in 2023 will be provided in the amount of 7.975 million tons, which is 4% more than in 2022. To achieve this volume, construction and reconstruction of 75 dairy farms and complexes were completed in 2022.

For the further development of the dairy cattle breeding industry, the implementation of 9 investment projects for the construction and reconstruction of dairy farms and complexes is planned for the current year. In addition, under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus, 60 projects for the construction and reconstruction of dairy farms and complexes will be implemented in 2023-2024. Also, the increase in milk production will be ensured by increasing the productivity of the dairy herd to 5.65 tons of milk.

The production of cattle in agricultural organizations will be provided in the amount of 640.5 thousand tons - 4.2% more than in 2022. It is also planned to increase the number of cattle for growing and fattening by 12.5 thousand heads by reducing the loss of livestock. Taking into account the growth in the number of cows, by the end of 2023, an increase in the number of cattle in general by 17.5 thousand heads is expected.

- In 2022, we managed to set a record for food exports. What are your plans in this direction for the current year? At the expense of what markets will we increase our performance?

- In 2022, a record export indicator was indeed reached. The plans are to ensure deliveries not lower than the level of 2022 and even increase. Thus, in January-February 2023, the organizations of our country supplied $1.2 billion worth of food products and agricultural raw materials for export, which is 10.3% more than in the same period last year. In general, the increase in foreign exchange earnings amounted to $114 million. The main export destinations are the Russian Federation and CHINA .

- How do we establish cooperation with RUSSIA and China in the field of agriculture? Are there any joint promising projects, including those on import substitution?

- Trade cooperation is developing with the Russian Federation and China, which includes mutual deliveries of products. It should be noted that these countries are our main trade and economic partners.

Within the framework of the Union State, a program is being implemented to integrate information systems of state regulatory bodies in terms of veterinary and quarantine phytosanitary control, as well as a program to form a unified agricultural policy.

As a result of the visit to China, the head of state reached agreements on the creation of joint projects in Belarus: the construction of a pig farm in the Minsk region, as well as the production and processing of livestock products in the Mogilev region.

In addition, CJSC "BNBK" together with Chinese investors are implementing large projects for the production of feed and amino acids. There are also plans to produce vitamins.

- What is the profitability of agricultural production? What measures are being taken to increase profits and reduce the number of unprofitable agricultural enterprises?

- In January 2023, the revenue of agricultural organizations increased by 26.7% compared to January 2022. There is an increase in profit from the sale of products by 1.6 times and 2.3 times - net profit. Return on sales amounted to 11.2%, against 9.1% in January last year.

The number of unprofitable organizations decreased from 106 to 68, their share in the total number of organizations amounted to 5.7% in January 2023 against 8.8% in the same period last year. At the same time, in 2015 there were 502 such organizations, the reduction by the end of 2022 is almost 9 times.

BELTA.