State support for Russian agricultural sector up by 35% in 2022 to 380 bln rubles - Mishustin

KUBINKA. Oct 5 (Interfax) - State support for the Russian agriculture sector has grown by 35% this year, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at the plenary session of the Golden Autumn - 2022 agricultural exhibition on Wednesday.

Mishustin pointed out that the state program is one of the main instruments for the sector's development: "This year we have allocated over 280 billion rubles in the federal budget for the implementation of the program. But in today's difficult situation state support for the industry has been increased by 35%. We were able to provide it with these resources. And as of the end of September, more than 380 billion rubles have been allocated to implement the state program."

This year's grain harvest will exceed the record harvest of five years ago, when more than 135 million tons were harvested, Mishustin said.

"There are significant achievements in other crops, including oilseeds," he said. "We are also seeing success in production of fruits, which are expensive and difficult to grow in our climate. We expect a record - more than 1.5 million tonnes of fruits and berries. The effectiveness of the existing state support is also evident in the data on the growth of yield per hectare. This means that farmers were provided with mineral fertilizers, seeds, machinery and fuels and lubricants for the spring sowing campaign - on time and in full," Mishustin said.

The results of the season and further steps in the development of the agricultural sector will be discussed within the government. "These issues are constantly on our agenda," he said.

The new draft federal budget, which has already been submitted to the State Duma, provides for more than 340 billion rubles for the implementation of the program, the prime minister also said. All existing measures of state support for the industry will remain in place.

At the same time, "the government is ready to respond promptly requests from the sector, given the difficulties faced by business due to the actions of unfriendly countries, including external trade barriers, supply chain violations and rising prices in adjoining sectors," Mishustin said. "As was the case in spring, when we made prompt decisions, as instructed by the President, to allocate additional funds for preferential short-term and investment loans, this allowed us to keep the rate for farmers at no more than 5%," he said.