RT Minister of Agriculture and Foodstaff Marat Akhmetov: “Forthcoming two weeks will show will the corn crop in Tatarstan become record or not”

15.08.2008

This year Tatarstan has all chances to harvest record corn crops. Minister of Agriculture and Foodstaff Marat Akhmetov announced it today at RT Cabinet meeting.

“Due to the decision made by Tatarstan management to give means (2,5 billion RUR ) for fertilizers in spring, carrying of spring-sowing campaign in time, reasonable qualitative treatment for crops in fields, we could grow the deserving record harvest for Tatarstan – more than 6 million tones of crops - Marat Akhmetov said.”

According to Head of Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstaff the situation may become worse in case of any mistakes in organization of works and bad weather conditions. Only one third of crops has been harvested.

On the whole, agricultural areas of crop and leguminous plants take 1,7 million hectares.

According to the latest data 36 % of areas have been harvested for today, more than 2 million and 70 thousand tones of grain have been gathered. Average crop capacity makes 35,6 centners per hectare which is 5 centners more in comparison with the last year.

Marat Akhmetov noted that for yesterday’s 24 hours output of grain made 240 thousand tones.

Buinsky and Nurlatsky districts have the best results (more than 100 thousand tones), Menzelinsky (more than 80 thousand tones), Aktanyshsky, Almetevsky, Zainsky, Sarmanovsky districts made more than 70 thousand tones.

Head of Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstaff pointed out that today agricultural producers are dissatisfied with prices for realization of grain, but low prices may be compensated by qualitative harvest of dry grain. “It’s 1 RUR of compensation for the price of grain realization”,- he said.
Marat Akhmetov reminded that Tatarstan President recommended the Heads of municipal districts not to leave their territories during the harvest in order to control the process.

There’re 4700 milled combines, 800 are import-produced. Every combine should mill 150 thousand tones per 24 hours. Approximately 150 combines are out of order because of breakdown or managers don’t want to repair them for absence of machine operators (Kukmar, Aktanysh, Tulyachi).

Moreover, Minister of Agriculture and Foodstaff offered the Heads of districts to give only real figures of grain output. “I don’t recommend you to pass the desirable for reality and increase the figures in order to please the President and Prime Minister of Tatarstan”,- he warned.

Marat Akhmetov summed up that we do our best to get the record harvest in republic. Forthcoming weeks will show true results.

Head of Tatarstan Government Rustam Minnikhanov and head of RT President Office Yury Kamaltynov participated in Videoconference meeting in RT Cabinet.

IA Tatar-inform