Marat Akhmetov reported on sowing campaign

A session devoted to the spring field work took place in the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan today. Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan – Minister of agriculture and food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Akhmetov was a speaker.

“To carry out a successful sowing campaign, we have done a lot of groundwork concerning provision with resources. This year the sowing area is 2.9 million ha, which is on the level of previous years, including 1.8 million ha sown with spring crops, where 1 million ha is with spring grains”, - reported Marat Akhmetov.

Last year the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov set the task to apply not less than 65 kg of active fertilizers per ha. As of today, Tatarstan agricultural enterprises have preserved 67 kg of active fertilizers per ha. Taking into account foliar application, the figure is going to reach the level of 70 kg/ha. The leading districts in fertilizer preservation are Zainsk (123.3 kg/ha) and Sarmanovo (109 kg/ha).

Tetyushi, Tukaevo and Atnya municipal districts have preserved over 80 kg of active fertilizers per ha. Zelenodolsk, Cheremshan, Agryz, Kamskoe Ustye, Verkhniy Uslon and Novosheshminsk municipal districts have poor figures – they have preserved less than 50 kg/ha.

As Marat Akhmetov said: “This year farmers started field work much later, but we are gaining the pace. The spring campaign has reached its halfway point. About 900,000 ha of fields have been sown with spring crops, which is 51% of the plan. The leading districts are Zainsk and Sarmanovo municipal districts. Here 89% and 74% of fields correspondingly have been sown.

Agricultural machinery and tractors are ready, too. Today over 6,000 units of sowing machinery, 11,000 tractors, about 625 sowing complexes are being exploited on the fields, which enables to provide the productivity of 100,000 ha per day.

The problem to provide farm households with diesel fuel at privileged prices was solved. The price is 33.5 rubles per kg, while the market price for diesel fuel is 37 rubles per kg.

“On the whole, the sowing campaign is well organized. Agriculturalists have the task to finish field work by May 20”, - emphasized Marat Akhmetov.

The minister also spoke on the issues of concessional lending. “This year the Russian Government introduced a new scheme to allocate borrowed funds. As of today, 109 credits have been given to Tatarstan agricultural enterprises and farm households amounted to 7 billion rubles in total. Due to the lack of budget funds, allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation to banks, the process has been stopped. Currently, the issue to allocate additional funds is being discussed by the Government”, - emphasized the minister.

At the end of the session, Marat Akhmetov answered the questions of journalists.