Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Akhmetov: agricultural fairs will be held up to December 23 in Tatarstan

Agricultural fairs in Tatarstan will be held through December 23. It was announced by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan – Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Akhmetov at the republican session in the House of Government of the Republic of Tatarstan today.

The videoconferencing session with all municipal districts was held by Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Aleksey Pesoshin.

During the session, Marat Akhmetov reported that about 54,000 ha of fields with corn, 75,000 ha of fields with sunflowers and 1,100 ha of fields with sugar beetroots had not been cleared yet. Beside this, agriculturalists will also continue basic soil cultivation (180,000 ha). “As soon as the weather becomes cool, the work will start”, - he noted.

Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan spoke in details about agricultural fairs in republican cities and towns. Namely, he reminded that traditional autumn agricultural fairs started 2 months ago.

“Last year there were 10 market places for agricultural fairs in Kazan. This year there are 7 more tent-roofed market places, - said Marat Akhmetov. – They are more compact in comparison with the basic market sites and can hold 15-60 people there”.

In Naberezhnye Chelny weekly agricultural fairs take place on 3 market places, one more market place for the fair is situated in Zelenodoldsk municipal district of the Republic of Tatarstan on the territory of “Novaya Tura” technopolis.

The quality of products is controlled by specialists of the veterinary service and the Federal Service for Agricultural and Phytosanitary Surveillance Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan during the whole period of agricultural fairs.

As of today, products amounted to over 550 million rubles have been brought to fairs, including 12,00 tons of potatoes and vegetables, about 700 tons of different kinds of meat, 435 tons of flour and 4 million eggs. The price for sugar has decreased from 35 rubles per kg to 32 rubles per kg, over 500 tons of sugar have been sold.

The prices at fairs are traditionally lower, noted Marat Akhmetov. For example, beef costs 280-320 rubles per kg, potatoes – 12 rubles per kg, milk – 30 rubles per liter.

“Fairs are getting more and more popular among people, - said the minister. – At the beginning of the season people bought a lot of potatoes, vegetables, flour, sugar, grain, cereal. Within the recent weeks, meat, milk and dairy products, eggs are actively sold”.

He also noted that despite active participation of small-businesses in the fairs, agricultural enterprises and large organizations play the most important role, they are “Ak Bars”, “Tatagroleasing”, “Tatpotrebsoyuz”, “AgroInvest” and “Agrosila”.

Marat Akhmetov praised the following municipal districts of the republic for good organization of the fairs: Arsk, Buinsk, Vysokaya Gora, Kamskoe Ustye, Kukmor, Mamadysh, Novosheshminsk, Nurlat, Sarmanovo, Spasskoe, Tetyuthi, Tukaevo and Tyulyachi.

Speaking about the amount of products brought to the fairs, it is enough to meet the consumers’ demand. Beside this, Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan paid attention that customers were grateful for organization of such fairs.

Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan thanked the heads of executive committees of Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny. “Speaking about organizational issues we have mutual understanding, including the problems of public utilities, cleaning, provision with bio-toilets and litter bins. I thank the heads of municipal districts for their active organizational work, many of which visit the fairs themselves”, - said Marat Akhmetov.

He reminded that following the results of the fairs, every week three most active districts are defined. The participants from these districts will get reimbursement of transportation costs.

“The importance of fairs will be increasing because the majority of people have to buy products at fairs due to their purchasing power”, - said Marat Akhmetov. He also reminded that the agricultural fairs will be held through December 23, 2017.