Maxim Chekusov, Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Omsk Region, announced plans to improve the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex in 2017. It is recommended that plant growers pay special attention to improving soil fertility, take up pest control and plant diseases, and start growing new crops.
Omsk farmers who received a good grain harvest in 2016 will not be left at a loss," the Minister is confident. Omsk wheat of 3-4 classes is now in price and in demand in our country and abroad, unlike feed grain, the cost of which can drop to 6 thousand rubles per ton.
Farmers should be more flexible in responding to market needs. For example, this year the price of lentils is 40-45 thousand rubles per ton, rapeseed is sold at 25 thousand rubles per ton. Good revenue can be obtained from the sale of peas. "It is necessary to move away from dogmas, not to cultivate only one crop, but to make your choice in terms of profitability," Maxim Chekusov believes.
Agricultural products receive significant added value through processing. Special attention will be paid to vegetable processing, the development of "cereal" plants, and enterprises producing vegetable oils. In the field of agricultural processing, considerable subsidies are provided to compensate for interest rates on loans taken out for technical re-equipment. In addition, the Department of the Food and Processing Industry is being created under the Ministry within the framework of the current staff, which will start working in 2017. It is planned to organize systematic work to support investment projects of processors, the entry of enterprises into foreign markets, and the development of retail chains.
"The food and processing industry brings 10 times more taxes to the budget of the Omsk region than crop production. So, it makes sense to pay more attention to it," Maxim Chekusov is sure.