Agrarians need to receive everything necessary for successful completion of field work - Russian PM

MOSCOW. Nov 2 (Interfax) - Agrarians need to be provided with all necessary resources for successful completion of their autumn field work, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

"Feeding stuff is being procured and winter crops are being sown in some regions. For successful completion of this field work, agrarians need to be provided with everything necessary: seeds, fertilizers, fuel and lubricants, so that they can take loans at preferential rates of under five percent in a timely manner. We provided additional funding for these purposes on the orders of the president back in the spring. We also need to help agribusiness with equipment modernization, domestic equipment, and also make sure that state support reaches agricultural manufacturers in full and in a timely manner," Mishustin said at a government meeting on Wednesday.

Some 380 billion rubles was provided for the implementation of the state program to develop agriculture this year, he said.

"We hope that this comprehensive approach will provide our citizens with quality and affordable food products and that the Russian agricultural sector will continue developing intensively," the prime minister said.

The harvest campaign is nearing completion practically in all regions, he said. The agricultural sector is manifesting "excellent results": a new grain record has been achieved, 150 million tonnes of grain was thrashed, he said. A good increase is expected from a year ago in the harvest of potatoes, greenhouse vegetables, fruit, and also soy and rapeseed.

"Such results are a reliable foundation for boosting agricultural production volumes, boosting Russia's food security and, of course, new harvests next year," Mishustin said.