Putin backs request by Rostov region acting governor to introduce bankruptcy moratorium for farmers

MOSCOW. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed a request by acting governor of the Rostov region Yury Slyusar to introduce a bankruptcy moratorium for farmers who have faced difficulties this year due to weather conditions.

"I wanted to make a request: there was such thing as a bankruptcy moratorium made available as a support measure during the COVID period; this is especially relevant for small and medium farms, since they are at high risk of having to sell all of their land to large agroindustrial holdings," Slyusar said during his meeting with the president.

"I agree, Yury Borisovich, let's do that," Putin said.

Slyusar said that the region would prepare and forward a letter accordingly. "Agreed," the president said.

The acting governor said that he had made this request because around 1 million hectares of agricultural land had been damaged or destroyed in poor weather conditions this year, including returning frosts, droughts and low water levels. "Threshing is now effectively complete. This year, it [the grain harvest] has practically halved. And, of course, that means significant losses. We are making support measures available within the region, but this year it will be very difficult without the help of the federal center," Slyusar said.

Putin said that the reasons given by Slyusar were valid, but asked that the region "look more closely" into other issues leading harvests to decrease. This refers in particular to the desertification of land and decreased use of protection forests.