What awaits Tatarstan farmers: increased payments to young specialists, new equipment and storage facilities

“Since the beginning of the year, we have already had more than 200 million rubles in losses”

Harvesting is coming to an end in Tatarstan. According to Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan — Minister of Agriculture and Food Marat Zyabbarov, about 4 million tonnes of grain have been harvested so far. Mostly, sunflower and corn grain are still left in the fields.

However, the rains, on the contrary, helped forage crops, potatoes and vegetables in general more. Beetroot, for example, grew “at a crazy pace," the minister noted.

Answering the question about new soil cultivation methods, Zyabbarov said that Tatarstan has been actively using the method of deep loosening for the past few years. Instead of traditional plowing, farmers are loosening the topsoil to a depth of about 70 cm, known as the 'bottom layer.' This is done every 3-4 years so that the meltwater that accumulates in rivers and ravines after winter actively nourishes the roots of plants.

In addition, Tatarstan plans to install about 200 new sensors to analyse weather conditions: wind, diseases, etc. The goal is to cover the entire republic with sensors.

Tatarstan lacks storage facilities for potatoes and other vegetables

“Tatarstan provides itself almost completely with all the main products. We produce about 4,000 tonnes of milk daily, of which 87% are processed on the territory of the republic. 5-7 years ago, we processed about 30% of milk, and now this figure is close to 90%," said the head of the department.

Zyabbarov also recalled the five-year programme for the construction of storage facilities for potatoes and vegetables to ensure year-round storage. Over the past two years, additional storage facilities have been built for about 40,000 tonnes, while about 50% of them are subsidised.

“We are aware of our shortcomings in the field of processing meat, vegetables and potatoes. We need to move towards deeper processing: milk into finished products, potatoes into starch, chips, French fries. It is at this level that we must work. We try to support all this with grants and other support measures," Zyabbarov said.

Ministry of Agriculture of Tatarstan initiates an increase in payments for graduates of specialised educational institutions

“In the last five years, the Ministry of Agriculture has actively focused on practice for young professionals so that students can complete internships at enterprises of the republic. Currently, the top ten organisations have been selected so that young people do not get the impression that working in agriculture is associated with dirt and lack of conditions. First of all, we pay attention to the living conditions of students, their meals and other aspects. The main criterion is the availability of Wi-Fi," Zyabbarov noted with a smile.

He also recalled the financial support for young professionals: 300,000 rubles for university graduates and 150,000 rubles for graduates of colleges and technical schools. However, the Ministry of Agriculture plans to increase these payments, and this proposal was supported by the rais of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov. Although specific amounts have not yet been announced, Zyabbarov said that the changes will take effect from the new year.

Tatarstan should reach its last year's export record of $457.6 million

In conclusion, the minister spoke about the export of agricultural products. Last year, Tatarstan exported agricultural products worth $457.6 million, and this year they are expected to come close to that figure.

At the moment, the plan has been fulfilled by 79% — as of November 3, products worth $361.1 million were exported.