The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus proposes to reduce the tax burden on agricultural producers in the Customs Union

August 28, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus proposes to reduce the tax burden on agricultural producers in the Customs Union. This was announced today at the regional scientific-practical seminar-meeting on the strategy for the development of the agro-industrial complex of the Vitebsk region until 2015 by the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Nadezhda Kotkovets, BELTA correspondent reports. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is negotiating within the framework of the Customs Union Commission to equalize the tax burden on agricultural producers in the member states. For Belarusian producers, it is important to have taxes comparable to those in the Russian Federation. For example, deductions to the Social Protection Fund of the Population in Belarus amount to 31%, in the Russian Federation - 10.8%. "We are talking about a sufficient amount of funds, this will be a serious support for agricultural enterprises," noted Nadezhda Kotkovets. Improving the financial condition of agricultural enterprises is a priority for the ministry. "The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is working in all directions to increase the profitability of agricultural enterprises, which will allow them to pay off existing debts, loan and credit arrears, and begin to build a normal economy of farms, pay decent wages," emphasized the First Deputy Minister. In addition to increasing purchase prices for raw materials and reducing tax payments, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food is working on the possibility of restructuring the debts of agricultural producers. -0-