Vegetable output in Russia's Chukotka may see 3.5-fold growth by 2028 - governor

VLADIVOSTOK. Jan 11 (Interfax) - Russia's Chukotka Autonomous Region plans to increase vegetable production by 3.5-fold by 2028, while the share of local poultry on the regional market may grow 30%, Chukotka Governor Vladislav Kuznetsov said at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

"Investments in agricultural sector, including in growing vegetables, are on the rise in our region. We see quite a large increase in the greenhouse area. You know that the majority of food products are supplied to us from other regions. It is expensive and is not quite convenient from the point of view of agricultural products, because people want fresh food," Kuznetsov said.

Chukotka currently has three greenhouse facilities, and several more will be put into operation in the near future.

"The share of locally grown vegetables on the regional market is around 21% today. We anticipate that it will be approximately 65% in a year's time," the governor said.

Putin visited a year-round greenhouse facility owned by the Makatrov family and was shown its produce during the visit to Anadyr. The enterprise, which is a resident of the Chukotka priority development area, began the first stage of its operations in 2017. The farm grows vegetables in permafrost conditions and supplies them to local consumers, including regional kindergartens and schools.