Focus on meat and dairy products. Linevich spoke about the emphasis in the development of the Vitebsk region's agro-industrial complex
"On behalf of the head of state, it is necessary to consider the issues of the region's agro-industrial complex. This is being done at the level of the State Control Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Today, we are considering issues of production, and the results of the year. We see that last year the region had a good harvest," Anatoly Linevich noted.
Speaking about the grain harvest in the Vitebsk region, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food noted that there was a slight shortfall in this year's harvest. "We did not collect a certain amount of grain, but the conditions of the year did not allow it. Next year, I hope, we will fulfill the head of state's instructions," he emphasized.
As for the further development of the agro-industrial complex in the northern region, as announced by the President during the regional holiday of rural workers in Polotsk, the focus should be on processing and production of meat and dairy products. "The most important direction is animal husbandry. To create a feed base, to ensure the production of crops, milk production - this is the main task," the minister said.
Despite the fact that the Vitebsk region is a zone of risky farming, mainly due to weather factors, there are no plans to radically change the structure of sown areas in the region. "With the help of scientists, new crop varieties have been developed, and we will try them in the conditions of the Vitebsk region, the same soybeans. Otherwise, the structure of sown areas has already been determined. We need to increase the sowing of alfalfa, to have 10% of it from arable land. In other crops, everything will remain practically at last year's level. The most important thing is to procure feed every year. If this works, then there will be milk production," Anatoly shared.Oleg Linevich.
At a joint meeting, heads of key economic sectors discussed the implementation of Presidential Decree No. 70 "On the Development of the Vitebsk Region's Agro-Industrial Complex." Regarding the effectiveness of the agro-industrial associations established in the region, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food noted that their structure is in place, and it is necessary to wait for the results. "They will show their effectiveness, and they will. The situation is stabilizing now. A turning point has occurred, we have pushed off from zero, and the agro-industrial associations will add value. The management structure has been developed, and all issues have been considered," said Anatoly Linevich.
The meeting analyzed the results of the crop production season, the pace of land reclamation, the work of the region's processing organizations, and the production of compound feeds and milling products. Financial results and product exports, as well as the technical equipment of agricultural enterprises, were also addressed. Thus, the revenue of Vitebsk region's APK organizations for nine months increased by 13.5% compared to January-September 2023. There is also positive dynamics in the export of food products and agricultural raw materials from organizations of the Vitebsk region, with a growth of 28.9% compared to the level of January-September last year. The geography of supplies includes 57 countries. Additionally, beef, poultry meat, butter, cheeses and curd, and sausages are supplied from the northern region to countries of the far arc.
At the same time, there are issues that require immediate resolution and control. The participants of the meeting gave an appropriate assessment of the work done at all management levels. Collegial decisions with specific response measures and the adoption of programmatic solutions have been developed for critical situations. This applies, for example, to strict technological discipline in the production of agricultural products, the efficiency of processing enterprises, the increase in the sale of meat and dairy products, and personnel management for the APK. Effective measures are also needed for the timely commissioning of dairy complexes under construction and reconstruction, their technical equipping, and staffing with high-yield livestock to achieve high milk yields.