State support for Russian agriculture could top 500 bln rubles in 2022 - ministry

GROZNY. April 18 (Interfax) - Support for Russia's agribusiness sector under the government program to develop agriculture could exceed 500 billion rubles this year, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev told reporters during a visit to Chechnya on Friday.

"Unprecedented state support is being provided to farmers right now. Taking into account the president's recent decision to allocate additional funds [in the amount of 153 billion rubles] for the subsidized lending mechanism and construction of seed production and selection centers, we're planning that total support for the sector under our main government program to develop the agribusiness sector will exceed half a trillion rubles this year," Patrushev said.

Such support for agricultural producers has never been allocated before, he said. "This, of course, indicates that the country's leadership fully understands the agricultural sector's role for the Russian economy and national security," Patrushev said.

During his visit, Patrushev met with Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and reviewed the work of agricultural enterprises, the reconstruction of the Argun hydro system and the results of the implementation of the state program for comprehensive development of rural areas.

It was reported earlier that 326 billion rubles was allocated for the agriculture development program in 2021, of which 99.7% was spent. This year, in addition to the 153 billion rubles mentioned above, the government has already allocated an additional 30 billion rubles for subsidized loans for planting, 26 billion rubles for systemically important companies, 12 billion rubles for Rosagroleasing, 2.5 billion rubles for subsidies for bread bakers, 2 billion rubles for transport logistics and 5 billion rubles to support breeding centers.