Lawmaker: debt reduction at agricultural enterprises must accompany import substitution work
MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax) - The import substitution effort on Russia's food market must be pursued in parallel with improving the financial condition of agricultural enterprises, the chairman of the State Duma's Agrarian Issues Committee, Nikolai Pankov, said.
"In supporting the development of priority import substitution areas, the challenge of reducing debt, raising the profitability of enterprises, strengthening mechanization, and improving living standards of rural residents must be resolved," Pankov told journalists following a plenary Duma session on Friday, where lawmakers approved amendments to the budget for 2015 and the 2016-2017 planning period in a third reading.
Those amendments provide an additional 20 billion rubles for the agricultural sector, Pankov said. "Particular attention was paid to the agricultural sector; additional funds will be allocated to priority areas," he said.
Per-hectare support will total 23.2 billion rubles. "The additional funds will go to purchase elite seed types, to planting perennials and berry plants."
The state program for support of agriculture is providing 202.7 billion rubles overall this year. "Now it is important to get it [the money] to the agricultural producers in a timely fashion and ensure its effective use," he said.
