Governor Viktor Nazarov: The agricultural machinery production market is extremely promising for the Omsk region

In an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the head of the region, Viktor Nazarov, summed up the results of the outgoing year, describing its features for the Omsk region and the most important events.

The 300th anniversary of Omsk is one of the main events of the year. The city celebrated its anniversary with the largest population in its history – 1,178 million people and significantly transformed. In sports, the main achievement of the region was that three out of four Omsk athletes returned from the Olympic Games in Rio with medals. 

In the economy, the Omsk region relies on high technologies, the development of industry and agriculture. The agro-industrial complex is steadily developing. "This is very important for us, given that we rely on the agricultural sector. In 9 months, the volume of gross output exceeded 100 billion rubles. Compared to last year, we are in the black," said Viktor Nazarov.

According to statistics, the Omsk region has the lowest prices for basic foodstuffs in Siberia, and the region ranks eighth in the country. "If you look specifically at products, the low price of bread, for example, is largely related to good harvests. This year, for example, about 3.5 million tons of grain. This is the 9th place in the country. The grain quality is good, and it makes high-quality flour. There is no shortage in the market, and the competition is high. There is no monopoly, there is no price collusion," the Governor told Rossiyskaya Gazeta. - "There is also an excess in milk, we supply about 40% of the raw materials outside the Omsk region. Again, there is a lot of competition among processors, and as a result, some of the lowest prices. We have large production volumes for pork and poultry. Potatoes were overproduced last year, and the wholesale price dropped to 5 rubles per kg. 2016 was also a fruitful year. The excess potatoes were sold, including to regions affected by adverse weather conditions, such as Buryatia."

The Omsk region not only fully provides itself with all the necessary products, but has also been actively involved in the modernization of production facilities in recent years. The more automated the processes are, the lower the cost of production and the lower the price for the consumer. The regional authorities help local producers expand their sales markets, enter large networks, and trade at fairs without intermediaries. The system of providing subsidies to entrepreneurs who process agricultural products also brings its results.

"I recently instructed the regional government to work out support measures for agricultural machinery manufacturers as well. In the summer we participated in the "Field Day" in Barnaul. They marched there in a column, with trawls, carrying Omsk equipment. They returned empty, everything was sold out in the very first hours of the exhibition. Our agricultural machinery is already produced by 25 enterprises, it is several times cheaper than foreign ones, and the quality is no longer inferior to imported ones," the Governor believes.

The year before last, Omsk manufacturers sold equipment worth more than 1 billion rubles, last year – by 1.5 billion, and this year the figure is already approaching 2 billion rubles.

"The market is extremely promising. And over the past couple of years, Russia has made a tremendous leap, this is indisputable. But for some types of equipment, there is still complete import dependence," the head of the region noted.

As for the competitiveness of the machine–building complex in the region, about two-thirds of whose production volume is accounted for by Omsk defense enterprises, it is ensured by large-scale modernization of production facilities, including at Polet software, where the Angara project of national importance is being implemented, at the union. Baranova, where they produce components for aviation equipment, Omsktransmash, where they make combat vehicles and much more.

"Not all defense projects can be openly discussed. But I am proud that Omsk provides the country with high-tech products that ensure its security. I am proud that in most cases all these products are either at the forefront of the world's achievements in science and technology, or even ahead of it. I set the task for my government to do everything possible to ensure that the potential that we have preserved and multiplied, despite any crises and difficulties, continues to work for Russia's authority and respect in the international arena," said Governor Viktor Nazarov in an interview with the newspaper.