A shake-up of farmers, preparation for the VNS and an apple orchard in the small homeland. Details of the President's Week

ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO during a republican cleanup day Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting on rural development and increasing the efficiency of the agricultural sector Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting on the preparation of the first meeting of the VII All-Belarusian People's Assembly Alexander Lukashenko during a republican cleanup Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting on rural development and increasing efficiency agricultural sector Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting on the preparation of the first meeting of the VII All-Belarusian People's Assembly Alexander Lukashenko during a republican cleanup day

• 1
• 2
• 3

Topic news The work schedule of the President of Belarus is always very eventful. Alexander Lukashenko holds meetings and working meetings on the most pressing issues of the country's development, regularly visits the regions, makes foreign visits and himself receives foreign guests, communicates with journalists, signs decrees and laws. And even when there are no public events, this does not mean at all that the HEAD of state is not working. However, even during rest, be it hockey training or chopping wood, Alexander Lukashenko will find a reason for another assignment. As he likes to say, everything must be based on life.
 
The "Week of the President" project is for those who want to keep up with the head of state, to be aware of the most current statements and decisions of the Belarusian leader.

This week the head of state held another large-scale meeting. This time on the topic of rural development and increasing the efficiency of the agricultural sector. The question is especially relevant in view of the ongoing active phase of spring field work. PCA works well, but available results are limited. Especially in terms of maintaining labor and technological discipline at all stages. Therefore, Alexander Lukashenko encourages farmers and everyone responsible for the industry to harness and work, forget about sanctions and produce results.

At a separate meeting, they discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly, which will meet for the first time under the new constitutional status.

There were also important personnel decrees this week, , ,.

Continuation of the topic of the decree on the Belarusian space system for remote sensing of the Earth.

The working week ended with participation in the Republican cleanup day. The APPLE orchard planted by the President will become another decoration of Alexander Lukashenko’s small homeland, for which he has warm feelings and often visits these places familiar from childhood. And local schoolchildren, who now have to take care of trees as part of their labor training, will literally eat the fruits of their labor every fall.

FIGHT IN THE FIELD. What goal does Lukashenko set in the agro-industrial complex, who has he threatened with reprisals, and what to do with the “pig squeal”

• 
  

The practice of holding large-scale meetings and analyzing the state of affairs in specific sectors of the economy on Tuesday, April 16, continued with a discussion of the prospects for rural development and increasing the efficiency of the agricultural sector. Before this, this year, Alexander Lukashenko, for example, held an extended meeting with the security forces, and a week earlier it was those in charge who held the answer.


The state of affairs in rural areas largely determines the well-being of people, foreign exchange earnings, the level of food security and, ultimately, socio-political stability in the state. In general, farmers have something to be proud of. Belarus fully provides itself with basic types of food. Significantly superior to other CIS countries in the production of such products and consumption per capita. In a number of positions, the country looks worthy in the world rankings. Domestic food is supplied to more than a hundred countries around the world; foreign exchange earnings from its sales in 2023 amounted to almost $7.5 billion, and this is despite a sharp drop in world prices.


“This year we must produce 6-7% more products and target exports at a figure of $9 billion. Is it difficult? Yes. But we must solve these problems. I appeal to managers at all levels. Your success should never be enough for you,” - The president. At the same time, at the end of 2023, a modest increase of just over 1% was achieved in agricultural production (in crop production they fell by more than 1%, in livestock production - 4.5% plus). “Considering how much has been invested in the village, this is more than modest,” noted Alexander Lukashenko.


The head of state, in his speech and during the meeting as a whole, primarily focused attention on the shortcomings of the work and deliberately aggravated the problems of the village. “If problematic issues are not resolved, then all our successes will very quickly come to naught,” he explained. “Our strategic goal is to create a high-tech, profitable agricultural sector. It is vital for us to maximize the existing potential of our agro-industrial complex, deal with current problems, think about tomorrow and even the day after tomorrow." Food security in the country is ensured, but this is not enough, Alexander Lukashenko emphasizes. Food is also an important EXPORT resource - the demand for it in the world is only growing. The task is to move on, to make the work of the agricultural industry more sustainable, and its development progressive.


There are all the opportunities to achieve this, but financial and economic results, adherence to technology and discipline are not yet at the required level everywhere. And the President does not intend to put up with this. The leaders of the Vitebsk, Mogilev and Gomel regions, where the problems in agriculture are most acute, the head of state in general, if at the end of the current year the regions do not give the expected result. But the task of mobilizing is common to everyone, because even in the western regions that are more successful in the agricultural sector, the head of state sometimes has to point out obvious gaps in work, such as the need for work from the fields.
  “When coordinating the appointment of chairmen of district executive committees, I always say: “Guys, we need results! If you don’t want to fight, you need results on the ground! - said the head of state. - Harness yourself and work. If you want, take off your clothes and work."

The President gave practical advice to farmers and others - and other Western horror stories: "Of course they exist. But they must be forgotten. It is necessary to vigorously expand the production and export of products with high added value. Develop national brands ahead of competitors. Conquer new product and geographic segments. There is no other way."

The head of state proposed looking at the situation in agriculture on all main points from the point of view of problems and possible solutions to them.

Regarding crop production
, Alexander Lukashenko stated that last year's result in crop production was almost a failure: the level of 2022 could not be maintained. Farmers lost over 1 million tons of grain, 63 thousand tons of vegetables and 10 thousand tons of flax fiber. In almost every third organization, the grain yield was below 20 c/ha. “The government traditionally shifts the blame to unfavorable weather conditions. The governors echo him. However, it must be said frankly that the issue is not only about the weather,” the President noted.


The structure of sown areas, the application of complex fertilizers, land reclamation - on all these issues, farms have shortcomings.

For example, in some areas, wheat crops are being increased on lands that are of little use for cultivation of this crop. The result is a shortage of crops and losses. “I have repeatedly given instructions to expand the planting of protein crops to meet the full needs of livestock farming, in order to replace, among other things, imports . By the way, where we took this path, there are no problems with feed,” the head of state gave another practical example.

At the same time, the volume of mineral fertilizers is reduced. A full range of protective measures is not carried out on agricultural crops. There are also questions with the amount of fertilizers , accumulated for spring sowing. By the way, the leading global trend is the application of complex fertilizers (NPK). And Belarus has all this in full.
As for land reclamation, Alexander Lukashenko previously addressed this topic several times during meetings and working trips. All necessary instructions have been given and decisions have been made. You just need to carry out everything clearly, and not then refer to various unfavorable climatic phenomena: getting wet, freezing, drought.

“You need to be able to work in any atmospheric conditions so as not to attribute your shortcomings to the weather. You and I know what the weather can be like in Belarus. And we had to adapt to this. And those who want to work have adapted to this,” said head of state.
We also talked about the quality of domestic seeds. Alexander Lukashenko that if everything is done strictly according to technology, then you won’t have to complain about the harvest. Although breeders still really need to work in certain areas.

The meeting discussed the current sowing campaign. As they report to the President, there are problems in certain regions. We are talking, in particular, about the readiness of technology. “Your task, the government, regional executive committees and district executive committees, under personal responsibility, is to guarantee the readiness of all equipment throughout the entire agricultural year,” Alexander Lukashenko ordered.
Special attention is paid to issues of equipment safety. The same energy-rich tractors are literally worth their weight in gold, and therefore the head of state demands that they be maintained and maintained almost like an airplane.

“If any of the governors expects to meet their needs with imported equipment, then from these fantasies. From the word “absolutely”. We recently discussed this in detail at a meeting on industry. And there is no need to say that imported equipment is better than ours. Especially today.” , - warned the head of state.
  He also stated the need to modernize the country's machine and tractor fleet. Farmers need equipment with high throughput, more powerful tractors, combines, feed distributors, and so on. In this regard, it was instructed to update program tasks and ensure the production of a full line of highly efficient machines. At the same time, it is necessary to train machine operators to work on this difficult equipment.
The President emphasized that it is high time to move the agricultural sector everywhere to a new technological level and introduce precision farming. “Smart agriculture today and for the future is an important priority in the fight against competitors. We need a program, including training,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “We should start today. We must revolutionize agricultural engineering and agriculture.”



At the same time, with proper discipline, the use of highly productive varieties of plants and animal breeds, and available technologies, today it is possible to work one and a half or even two times more efficiently, the President is convinced. “Therefore, it is much more ambitious than yesterday’s results. It is necessary to produce about 10 million tons of grain, 5 million tons of SUGAR beets and more than 1 million tons of rapeseed per year,” he added.

About livestock
One of the topics of the meeting was the production of livestock products. In 2023, an increase in this indicator is observed in all regions of the country - 104.5%. But practically the only stable source of daily cash flow is dairy farming.

Last year, more than 8 million tons of MILK were produced, an increase of 6% compared to the 2022 level. The leaders among the districts in terms of milk herd productivity were Grodno, Berestovitsky, and Nesvizh, where more than 9 thousand kg of milk per cow were produced. And if the leading farms are able to obtain 12-13 thousand kg of milk from a cow, then the average milk yield of the lagging behind is less than 3 thousand kg. And these are mainly organizations from the eastern regions. “It’s time to think about the system of remuneration for heads of agricultural organizations solely in connection with the results of the farm’s work. If there is no result, get the minimum wage,” the President said in this regard.


He instructed the government, regional executive committees, and district executive committees to study in detail the situation of farms with low productivity and take the necessary measures. One of the methods for increasing operational efficiency is related to the consolidation strategy. “It’s not the case when processors take out loans, making advances to the village for years in advance. It turns out that this is not a business , but a social project,” the President said. “This means that the scheme must be broken. The lands and resources of unprofitable farms should be fully transferred to strong farms and work according to the scheme enlarged commodity and raw materials complexes. At the newly created enterprises, carry out the construction of modern large-scale dairy and pig-breeding complexes.”
“The developed strategy for consolidation was chosen correctly. And this work must be completed by 2030,” - .

Another instruction to the government and regional executive committees is to ensure the unconditional implementation of planned investment projects for the construction of dairy complexes, the growth of a dairy herd with high productivity (not less than 6.5 thousand kg per cow) and milk production volumes of at least 9 million tons.
A problematic issue in livestock farming has traditionally been ensuring greater safety of livestock and poultry, but the situation remains difficult. Alexander Lukashenko demanded that the Prime Minister, together with the State Control Committee, thoroughly investigate and report. Moreover, in this area, clear decisions were previously made at the level of the head of state - to transfer young animals to stronger farms if they cannot go out and feed them locally. However, this work is oftenis of a formal nature.



The President demanded that the government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, regional executive committees, and district executive committees organize strict control over the work carried out locally to comply with regulations and standards for feeding livestock and poultry. Pay special attention to caring for newborn calves. As in many other issues, it comes down to the need to maintain labor and technological discipline at all levels.


In the field of pig farming, the head of state demanded that the meeting participants work for the future and develop a ten-year development strategy in Belarus. It should have everything: progressive genetics, feed, environmental friendliness. The goals are super-scale - maximum deepening of processing and export expansion.
The country has already defined approaches to the construction of pig-breeding complexes according to a unified project for 100 thousand heads of pigs. In a number of countries, including RUSSIA, larger-scale projects are being implemented - complexes of up to 500 thousand animals. Alexander Lukashenko instructed to carefully study this experience. For example, the experience of CHINA , where they are building a multi-story pig breeding complex. “You decide which complexes to build. We will help you. But we will also ask (for efficiency and effectiveness. - BELTA’s note),” Alexander Lukashenko directed.
Separate instructions were also given for poultry farming. Here the President noted a slight increase in poultry MEAT production and a decrease in egg production. At the same time, there is a problem with poultry mortality, which has increased by almost 12%. Plus, poultry farming is still dependent on the import of ancestral stock. “The key task here is to reduce this dependence . Reduce it in a revolutionary way,” Alexander Lukashenko directed. “Until now, we also have no alternative to importing chickens for the production of hatching eggs.”


The construction of a modern selection and genetic center for eggs is intended to improve the situation. Now it is being decided where exactly and under what conditions it will be created.
The strategic task as a whole is to ensure technological and biological protection of poultry farming, to increase production volumes to 800 thousand tons of poultry meat and 4 billion eggs.
Regarding the supply of feed,
Alexander Lukashenko instructed the government, the Academy of Sciences and regional executive committees to develop a strategy for providing the Belarusian livestock industry with concentrated feed. The goal is for each farm to have all types of feed to meet its full needs (at least 45-50 centners of feed units per conventional head).
The President emphasized that success in livestock farming is inextricably linked with feed production. However, last year only 91% of the program targets were harvested for grass feed. Technologies for the preparation and storage of grass feed are being violated, and the already insufficient feed supply is worsening.

The head of state recalled that the country has built the most modern complex for the production of amino acids and animal feed - BNBK. He demanded that all the capabilities of this enterprise be used to produce balanced feed. Alexander Lukashenko also drew attention to the fact that in order to solve the problem of feed supply, it is necessary to first finally solve the problem of silo trenches. “Even if you die, during this year all feed must be stored in normal storage facilities. We must finally move away from these mounds, as they once did in natural ditches, pits, etc. At least 30% of feed, if they are normally put in such pits, we are losing,” the President noted.
About processing
The Head of State emphasized that it is in the sphere of processing that the reserves of the Belarusian village are concentrated. “It is necessary to take a course towards in-depth processing of raw materials, which creates high added value. Everything without exception must be processed, even the squeal of a pig,” the Belarusian leader emphasized. “The market gives our processors a chance to expand the range and geography of supplies, and gain a foothold in marginal segments.” .


Along with this, Alexander Lukashenko noted insufficient utilization, and in some places low utilization of production capacity, although the demand in foreign markets, especially for certain types of products, is high. At enterprises, there are cases of sales of products in carcasses and half-carcasses through intermediary structures.
“There is not enough flexibility. Especially among the governors who are responsible for this sector of the economy,” he noted. “There shouldn’t be such a mess! The maximum task is to ensure 100% processing of domestic raw materials with high added value. For these purposes, I instruct the government to digitize the tasks of each region down to to enterprises to resolve this issue." About finances
The President demanded to understand the issue of the effectiveness of state support in rural areas. “We need to look into this support again. I feel that the worse the enterprise works, the more support there is. The question arises, why then work well? It’s just a waste of money,” said the head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko ordered an analysis of the situation and a report. He emphasized that the measures taken to improve the financial HEALTH of agricultural organizations are extremely insufficient.


The head of state drew attention to the insufficient work to integrate unprofitable agricultural organizations into strong farms. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that these decisions must be made carefully and thoughtfully. And this is by no means a question of the fact that good farms simply need to hang a “weight on their feet.” But we need to act more decisively in this direction. “This problem must be solved this year,” the President instructed.
In addition, for example, no return was received from the creation of agro-industrial associations in the Vitebsk region. “Who will tolerate this? Moreover, Alexander Mikhailovich Subbotin (chairman of the Vitebsk regional executive committee - BELTA’s note) swore to rectify the situation. I’m waiting,” the head of state posed the question.
About personnel
The President called the personnel shortage a system-forming problem for the industry. There is a shortage of both management personnel and blue-collar specialists. Universities and colleges allocate targeted quotas and train specialists of various profiles and levels. They are provided with preferential loans and additional payments, affordable housing, but not everyone ends up working, even despite the strict working conditions.


Alexander Lukashenko emphasizes that the obligations undertaken, especially by the target audience, should certainly be fulfilled. But at the same time, we must continue to work to create attractive conditions for work and life in the countryside: “Solving the personnel problem is impossible without creating appropriate conditions in the countryside. Medical care, transport, trade, consumer services. And for young people - the Internet and something else ..." In this regard, there are strong model farms - examples to follow, which develop themselves and thanks to which small settlements (villages of the future) flourish. “Replicate this experience, don’t wait for new five-year plans. People should strive to work there!” - the President directs.
In addition to administrative measures, each farm must have its own additional personnel retention system. “Think about how to attract and retain young people - from housing to exemplary working conditions, cultural sphere, healthcare in rural areas. If we don’t solve the problem of personnel in agriculture, there will be no economy,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.


About industrial discipline
Law enforcement agencies report that the agro-industrial complex consistently leads in the number of violations of labor discipline. There have been many recorded cases of appearing at work while intoxicated. The number of injured workers and the number of fires is increasing.
And also numerous facts of corruption, economic crimes, official forgery, theft. Some simply seek to embellish the state of affairs, while some, as they said in a famous movie, confuse their own pocket with the state’s.

There are in general. Alexander Lukashenko gave an example from the city of Lyuban, MINSK region: “I don’t even know what to call these people, they went so far as to remove the carcasses of dead cattle from cattle burial grounds , butcher them and sell them for meat to the population. Moreover, veterinarians were also involved in this sacrilege, and foremen of agricultural organizations of three districts (Lyubansky, Osipovichsky and Starodorozhsky)."
“Such blatant irresponsibility, negligence and carelessness in the performance of official duties require the most severe measures of response,”- the Belarusian leader emphasized.
About putting things in order with reporting
The meeting also discussed putting things in order with reporting. Bureaucracy and huge excessive paperwork, according to Alexander Lukashenko, can be called one of the factors that holds back the agro-industrial complex as a whole. “Concerns request information for themselves, the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Agricultural Products, District Agricultural Products, regulatory and law enforcement agencies - for themselves. Everyone requests information,” the President critically noted. “There are up to 70 requests per month per organization!”


The head of state emphasized that the process can and should be centrally automated for a long time: “At every step we talk about the benefits and success of digitalization. So use it.” The President demanded that order be established here and that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food define a clear system of reporting and information.

PRE-START CHECK. What issues were discussed with Lukashenko a week before the Supreme Council

President on April 18 on the preparation of the first meeting of the VII. Preparations for this event, which is scheduled to take place on April 24-25, have reached the home stretch. The focus is on organizational issues that needed to be discussed to ensure the effective operation of the VNS. “The organizing committee was created. As they constantly report to me, they met, worked, and developed basic documents. But there are a number of issues that relate to the permanent Presidium, deputy chairmen (we would need to consult how we will propose to the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly to form them). In a word, It is necessary to ensure a normal, controlled work process of the Supreme Council, starting from the design of the city (without any overkill, so that we do not spend extra money on nothing) to the meeting room,” the President emphasized.

Separately, the head of state focused on organizational issues related to providing the SPC delegates with everything they need: “Once again I would like to ask that there be the most attentive attitude towards the SPC delegates, from providing them with food and accommodation to providing them with the necessary materials for work.”

By the way, this week is the badge of a delegate of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly.

As Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko reported, the organizing committee for preparations for the National Assembly worked closely, and all instructions given by the head of state in connection with this large-scale event are carried out by officials thoroughly and in a timely manner.

“Currently, the composition of the members of the Supreme Council has been fully formed. The issues of their transportation, accommodation, food, and security have been worked out in detail,” said Roman Golovchenko. “In total, there are currently 1,162 delegates, including 412 people by position, 750 people by election, including 402 men and 348 women."

350 people were delegated from local councils of deputies to participate in the Supreme Council, and 400 from civil society. “All procedures for electing delegates were carried out in full compliance with the law,”- the Prime Minister emphasized.



As for the invited persons who are not delegates, but take part in the SNC, there are 715 of them, including 68 honored representatives of Belarusian society and seven regional delegations, each of which includes 68 people, including representatives of regional media, the healthcare sector, education, security forces, enterprises, as well as former regional leaders and honorary citizens of administrative-territorial units. The presence of 31 foreign citizens is planned at the VNS. These are representatives of interstate integration associations and foreign diplomats. WE PLANT, WE CUT! How Lukashenko spent the subbotnik, and why he suggested that the IT specialist take over the collective farm.
On April 20, the President of Belarus laid out an apple orchard in his small homeland. With the participation of the head of state, more than 200 trees of five varieties were planted: “Belarusian Sweet”, “Syabryna”, “Kovalenkovskoe”, “Konfetnoe” and “Red Free”. The first four are of Belarusian selection, and “Red Free” is a summer variety originally from the usa . Now mortgaged to the care of local schoolchildren. “We are doing this so that we can then pass it on to schoolchildren. So that they can take care of it here and take the results of their labor for themselves. As I said, every school should have its own garden plot, where you can dig around and walk on the ground, touch with your hands. So that there is less foolishness in These schoolchildren will work here as their personal plot,” said the head of state.

He explained that previously there were peasant plots on the lands under the planted garden. But now village estates are used mainly as summer cottages, and the current owners and heirs use only a small part of the land for vegetable gardens. “It was a wasteland. We developed it. In order not to waste it, we decided to plant separate varieties of apple trees,” the President noted.

At the cleanup event, Alexander Lukashenko invited all participants of the event, including journalists, to work. This is the President’s principle: those who work nearby every day exchange microphones and cameras for rakes and shovels during the cleanup. And then the head of state thought that, and invited everyone to chop wood. The master class took place - we loaded up. One of the participants in the presidential cleanup was Igor Abramchik, head of the peasant farm "Spartan-Agro" in the Molodechno region. Already, one might say, a hereditary farmer - his father started the business. He is engaged in gardening, although he is an IT specialist by profession - he graduated from BSUIR. But he grew up in the countryside, and therefore the young man was still drawn back to the land. Here he also applied his knowledge acquired at the university.

“A farmer, a hard worker. By the way, not an agrarian,” the head of state recommended him to reporters. And immediately: “We can give you a collective farm. I advise you, before they dismantle it, to take a good farm. The land here is not bad.”

Alexander Lukashenko noted that before, while working in the agricultural sector, he had never been involved in gardening. He began to delve into this issue already when he was President. “Because we import apples, especially Polish ones. And his (the farmer’s – BELTA’s note) apples are better than any Polish ones. But the main thing is that they are cleaner. Because he knows: if he puts crap on the market, we will Let’s ask. And ask the Poles... It’s the same in healthcare and education, so you know. If a DOCTOR takes a scalpel in his hands, he knows that he has to work from the heart. Because they will ask,” the head of state said.