Rustam Minnikhanov and Russian Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut took part in the opening of the Agrobiotechnopark
Today, the site of Agrobiotechnopark LLC in the Laishevsky district of Tatarstan was visited by Russian Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut, Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan - Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Zyabbarov.
Upon arrival at the Agrobiotechnopark, the guests got acquainted with the presented developments in the field of seed selection. They were told about the varieties and hybrids of sunflower created for classical cultivation technology, as well as about their features. Then the guests took part in the opening of the Agrobiotechnopark of the Kazan State Agrarian University.
Rustam Minnikhanov noted, in particular, that Tatarstan is trying to create the most modern sites - technology parks, and now the Agrobiotechnopark has finally appeared.
"Despite the fact that Tatarstan is an industrial Republic, agriculture is an important segment of the economy for us," said Rustam Minnikhanov. "We understand that today it is difficult to be competitive without using science and its achievements. We expect that the new technology park will not only be of regional importance, but that solutions for the country as a whole will be created here."
Rustam Minnikhanov also said that for the opening of the Agrobiotechnopark of the Kazan State Agrarian University, the republic is giving a certificate for the purchase of equipment (a selection combine).
The head of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture said that today she had already assessed demonstration crops of sunflower of domestic selection. "Very good results. We discussed the prospects for growing wheat and soybeans in Tatarstan and in the Volga region as a whole," she said.
According to Oksana Lut, plant and animal selection and genetics are currently one of the key areas in the new national project on technological security and food security. "We are preparing it. And we hope that the Agrobiotechnopark will serve as a good platform for the development of domestic selection," she said.
The Russian Minister of Agriculture added that a major breakthrough in domestic selection is expected this year for sunflower, sugar beet and other crops. "We are confident that the Agrobiotechnopark will become a good platform for creating new varieties and hybrids, so that students can learn this. And then go to graduate school, become research associates to invent and create new varieties and technologies," she emphasized.
Oksana Lut also expects that the Agrobiotechnopark will become a platform for the development of biotechnology as the second key area of the national project. "We still have some work to do here. We hope that we will attract the right partners to this work. Because if selection and genetics are at some acceptable level, there is a base from which we can push off, then biotechnology is still at a low level of development. We have to make a huge leap over the next six years. And we hope for Tatarstan's support in this matter," she noted.
Rector of the Kazan Agrarian University Airat Valiev called the opening of the Agrobiotechnopark a significant event for the university.
He thanked the leadership of the republic for the fact that the agricultural university has such a modern site today. He emphasized that this is an excellent base for developing agricultural science and providing the agro-industrial complex with qualified personnel.
Oksana Lut, Rustam Minnikhanov and Marat Zyabbarov inspected the Agrobiotechnopark and assessed the equipment of the agricultural laboratories.
Rustam Minnikhanov also talked with the winners of the regional stage of the All-Russian competition AgroNTRI-2024.
An exhibition of projects - student startups in the field of agricultural technology - was also presented here.
The guests also inspected the greenhouse farm, some laboratories, including the closed soil laboratory, got acquainted with the work of the solution unit and others, and visited the seed storage facility.