Russia needs to develop biotech industry - Medvedev
MOSCOW. July 10 (Interfax) - Plans to develop a bio industry imply a tenfold increase in biotechnological production in Russia, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a government session on Wednesday.
"We're beginning to consider a roadmap connected with the development of new industries. We'll start with biotechnology and genetic engineering. According to expert forecasts, the global biotechnology market will reach $2 trillion by 2025," the prime minister said.
Many countries, including China, India and Brazil, are investing in the development of these industries.
"And it's unbecoming for us to lag behind, all the more so since Russia has less than a 0.1% share of the global bio market's turnover, and over 80% of bio products are imported," Medvedev said.
He stressed the need to change the situation and to create the conditions for the development of "a powerful bio-industry sector" in Russia.
"The strategic objective of the roadmap is to reach a level of biotechnological production that would surpass what we have today by a minimum of tenfold," the prime minister said.
