Russia's Agriculture Ministry expects to keep support for sector unchanged in 2025

MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Russia's draft federal budget provides 500 billion rubles of state support for agriculture in 2025, but the Agriculture Ministry expects to bring it up to this year's figure of 560 billion rubles, Agriculture Minister Oksana Luth said at a meeting of the State Duma Agriculture Committee on Wednesday.

"The draft budget for the next three years was approved yesterday [at a government meeting]. Despite all the difficulties there currently are with sources and money, the government supported our sector. We came out with a budget of more than 500 billion rubles," Luth said.

"Going forward, we still have to work with the Finance Ministry. We are really hoping for your support in order to bring the sum up to the amount of this year. As you recall, we have 560 billion rubles of overall support for the sector [in 2024]. We would like to maintain this," Luth said.

She also said that maintaining the current system of taxation in agriculture also constitutes an important support for the sector. There was a proposal to abandon the unified agriculture tax paid by businesses in the sector and switch to a profit tax, but "we were met half way here," Luth said, adding that the proposal was not supported.