Tatarstan farmers manufacture products worth 190.7bn rub
Progress in all indicators over 9 months — the Tatarstan ministry of agriculture has summed up the preliminary results of the year
The agricultural sector of the republic has received 13,7 billion rubles from the budget this year, 9,9 billion of which have already been mastered. The State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan reported on how and on what these funds have been spent at the meeting of the committee on ecology, nature management, agro-industrial and food policy on 26 November. Along with deputies, the report of Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Tatarstan Rishat Khabipov about achievements and problems in the sector was also listened by the correspondent of Realnoe Vremya.
10bn spent
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Rishat Khabipov, out of 13,7 billion rubles allocated for the agricultural sector, in the first 9 months of this year, they spent 9,9 billion, and almost a third of this amount — about 3 billion rubles — the region received from the federal budget.
The farmers, for their part, showed an increase in most economic indicators: yields, milk yields, the amount of meat and eggs produced. For 9 months, they produced products with a total value of 190,7 billion rubles, which is by 2,5% higher than in the same period last year. However, as Khabipov acknowledged, one of the important factors of growth was favourable weather.
The gross grain harvest this year has amounted to 4,4 million tonnes with a yield of 30,3 quintals per hectare (this figure is 27,7 quintals per hectare on average in Russia). The harvesting of sugar beet is finished, its harvest amounted to 2,8 million tonnes with an average yield of 441 quintals per hectare. Zainsky, Sarmanovsky and Buinsky districts of the republic have become the leaders in the harvest of sweet root crops. In total, they harvested 1,2 million tonnes of beets.
The processing of the crop into sugar is still ongoing, 189,000 tonnes have been produced so far.
Milk production is also growing: 1,44 million tonnes in the first nine months. This is by 2% more than in the same period last year. 334,000 tonnes (+3.4%) of meat have been produced.
The number of cattle in Tatarstan exceeds one million heads, pigs — 500,000 heads, sheep — 48,000, birds — 17,7 million heads.
Winter crops are waiting for snow
Winter crops for the next year's harvest were sown on an area of 472,000 hectares, 370 of which were allocated for wheat. At the same time, farmers have certain fears for their condition, because the snow has not yet covered the soil. If the cold weather intensifies and there is still no precipitation, crops may suffer.
“There is no tragedy yet because the temperature remains comfortable. It is good that the soil froze even before snowfalls because if snow lay down on the warm soil, the plant would breathe, spent sugar, diseases would develop,” Deputy Chairperson of the Agrarian Committee of the State Council Takhir Khadeev explained to Realnoe Vremya. “But we need snow today.” Crops need a coat. Especially winter wheat. If the temperature drops to -16 and below and remains at this level for a long time, and snow does not fall, then the wheat will have problems. But not the rye, it is too soon to worry about it.
Fairs will last until the end of the year
Fairs, which are held in all major cities and regional centres of the Republic of Tatarstan, remain one of the important channels for the sale of products of rural workers. Since the beginning of the year, in Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny and Zelenodolsk alone, the revenue of farmers at fairs exceeded 900 million rubles. Eggs alone were bought in the amount of 6,9 million units. And 606 tonnes of flour, 687 tonnes of sugar, 12,000 tonnes of potatoes and vegetables and much more.
According to Khabipov, farm products are in great demand at the fairs, and the fairs themselves will last until the New Year. The cost of fuel and lubricant materials are subsidized for the farmers who carry products for sale in Kazan.
In 2019, Tatarstan farms purchased 250 tractors, 130 combine harvesters, 49 forage harvesters.
Growing subsidies for mini-farms
The ministry of agriculture pays special attention to the support of small farms. Since this year, subsidies have been increased to those farmers who are ready to increase the number of cows and build mini-farms. So, if the family increases the personal livestock from two to five cows, the subsidy for the construction of a mini-farm will be 200,000 rubles (previously it was 120,000), from three to eight heads — 400,000 (instead of 200,000). The subsidies are provided only for new construction started not earlier than the current year. At the same time, it is necessary to complete the construction within six months after receiving the subsidy. The recipients of subsidies are obliged to keep the livestock at the achieved level for five years.
A new programme of rural development: regions will divide trillion from the federal budget
A new programme of integrated rural development is to be launched in Russia in 2020. According to Rishat Khabipov, more than a trillion rubles will be allocated from the federal budget for its implementation.
“The activities of the programme concern not only agriculture but also the development of social infrastructure in rural areas, as well as the construction of roads.”
According to Khabipov, the ministry of agriculture sent applications for participation in all programmes and laid in the budget the necessary funds for co-financing.