Ministry says 250 bln rubles may resolve import substitution issue in agriculture
MOSCOW. May 30 (Interfax) - The problem of import substitution in agriculture can be resolved by allocating 200 billion to 250 billion rubles to the sector annually, Deputy Agriculture Minister Dmitry Yuryev said.
"We think that government support of 200 billion to 250 billion per year will enable us to achieve import substitution," Yuryev said at the XIII Russian Agriculture Holdings conference in Moscow on Friday.
The sector received 197 billion rubles in 2013. This year it is expected to receive 170 billion rubles. However, the Agriculture Ministry sent the Finance Ministry a request for an additional 49 billion rubles.
Commenting on repaying debt on investment loan subsidies, Yuryev said part of the money for this - 8 billion rubles will be allocated from the government program Reserve Fund, which is 14.25 billion rubles this year. The rest of the reserve will go into additional financing for animal vaccinations and other purposes. This will happen later.
"The entire amount cannot be taken at the start of the year," he said. In September, if there is money leftover it can also be redistributed on subsidy debt repayments.
The Agriculture Ministry is looking at the possibility of offering subsidies of 35% of the cost of acquiring agriculture equipment. In addition, the ministry says the equipment leasing program should be expanded. This might require 5 billion rubles per year.
The ministry has also proposed adding to the government program of measures to develop equipment stations for small farms.
Total debts on investment loan subsidies amount to around 34 billion rubles. Of that, 17 billion rubles will be repaid by redistributing money for government programs. It has requested budget funding for the remaining amount.
