New stage in formation of food security beginning in Russia - Mishustin

MOSCOW. Oct 8 (Interfax) - The further intensive development of the Russian agricultural sector requires the introduction of the latest generation of high-tech tools, and essentially this involves a new stage in the formation of the country's food security, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a plenary session organized as part of the Golden Autumn 2025 international exhibition in Moscow on Wednesday.

Previously, it was necessary to increase the level of domestic goods production to reduce imports, and significant results have already been achieved here in a fairly short time, Mishustin said. "Now it is important to take the next step - to create conditions for the large-scale introduction of research and development using the most up-to-date digital platforms," he said.

Modern agricultural technologies help to bring plants with specified properties and highly productive animal breeds to market quite quickly, "and to provide agricultural producers with compact solutions with a high level of automation," he said.

The prospects for the industry are also associated with the use of artificial intelligence in crop production, animal husbandry and the food industry. At the same time, it is important to rely on domestic software solutions when developing innovations, Mishustin said. "After all, in four years, no less than 80% of Russian organizations will be working with them," he said.

Recalling that a new national project, Technological Support of Food Security, has started this year in Russia, Mishustin said that, apart from personnel issues, facilities for the production of veterinary drugs are being built or modernized under its framework. "And starting next year, manufacturers of such medicines will begin to receive a subsidy to compensate for expenses. The draft federal budget for 2026 provides over 1 billion rubles for these purposes," he said. "Support is also provided to those who produce critically important enzymes, food and feed additives, and other auxiliary means," he said.

Scientific research aimed at rapid implementation will be conducted on the sites of agro-bio-techno parks, where scientists, students and businesses can unite to create new products in demand on the market, he said. "We are allocating grants to such projects. One such platform is already operating in the Belgorod region. Today, another park was presented at the exhibition, in Adygea," he said.