Head of the Tatarstan Ministry of Agriculture Marat Zyabbarov: The spring seeds coverage in the republic makes 125 per cent

On 17 February, speaking at a meeting held by the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov via videoconference with all municipalities of the republic and with participation of the Chairman of the regional State Council Farid Mukhametshin and the First Deputy Prime Minister of the republic Rustam Nigmatullin in the Government house of the republic, regional Minister of Agriculture Marat Zyabbarov informed that winter crops have been sown on the area of 472 thousand hectares, including 374 thousand hectares of winter wheat and 89 thousand hectares of winter rye. He said that 40 per cent of the area has been sowed by original and elite seeds and the weekly monitoring of the Russian Agricultural Center in Tatarstan shows that 96 per cent of them are in good condition.

Today the spring seeds coverage in the republic makes 125 per cent but at the same time agribusiness depends of imported sunflower, sugar beet and other seeds, the Minister said and added that one of the most important tasks for the current year is to select domestic breeds and hybrids to replace the imported sunflower, sugar beet, corn, rape and potato seeds, as starting from 2024 the Russian Ministry of Agriculture is planning to set quotas on their import.

Marat Zyabbarov also told that the main issue for today is readiness of agricultural technique for field works and as of February 10 as many as 82 per cent of tractors and 91 per cent of sowing and ploughing equipment are ready.

The republic has procured 3.2bn rubles of spare parts which make 61 per cent of the needed, he said and added that tentatively from 3 to 7 April there will be a commission which will evaluate readiness of farms to spring agricultural work.

The Minister also informed about machine and tractor fleet procured in 2022 and 2023 and said that the amount of money allocated from the budget on technical modernization remained at the level of 2022

In conclusion, Marat Zyabbarov said that in 2023 the state support of agribusiness will amount to 13.2bn rubles, including 4.6 bn co-financed from the federal budget and 8.6bn from the regional budget.

The money will be allocated on the following activities: grants for development of family farms, development of the facilities and equipment of agricultural consumer co-operatives, Agro startups, subsidies for growing potatoes and vegetables, for purchasing mineral fertilizers, animal stock support and equipment.

In total it is planned that agricultural workers will receive more than 6.2bn rubles or 47.5 per cent from the yearly plan before the sowing campaign, the Minister concluded.