SHKLOV DISTRICT, 22 June (BelTA) – The Kupalovskoye agro holding should mark a new milestone in the development of the agricultural industry in Belarus, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he visited the organizations affiliated with the Kupalovskoye agro holding in Shklov on 22 June, BelTA has learned.
“The goal is efficiency. Otherwise, you will not survive. It is not even about survival: we are now dealing with some uncertainty in agriculture. The question is how to move forward, how to ensure efficient production and survive in competition,” the head of state said.
He noted that setting up companies modeled on OAO Aleksandriyskoye was a similar step for Belarus' agriculture in due time. “So we have such an enterprise. What's next? This is a serious matter, and Kupalovskoye cannot fail. You should handpick managers very scrupulously,” the Belarusian leader said.
The president visited a cattle fattening unit of ZAO Bolshie Slaveni. The head of state asked in detail about the organization of work at this agricultural enterprise and the holding company in general, performance indicators, technological processes, plans for further development, procurement.
Alexander Lukashenko urged to harness cutting-edge technology as much as possible, focusing primarily on efficiency. “We need efficiency. This is most important. We need to focus on the most advanced technologies," he said. “Without technology we are doomed to failure. Competition is fierce,” he noted.
The president drew attention to the importance of labor discipline, starting from the head of the company to milkmaids and drivers. When discussing the agriculture industry performance in Mogilev Oblast, Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats reported that the organizations have resources, but the main reason why some farms fail to meet the targets is the non-compliance with agricultural manufacturing standards) and low operational and labor discipline.
The president urged to decide on the distribution of financial flows in the holding company soon. “This is the backbone of any management,” he said. The head of state warned that the producing organizations should not be hurt and that the funds should be distributed fairly. “You need to decide on the structure here. This must be done before the end of the year. I want to see business, forward-looking professional relationships here,” the Belarusian leader said.
Alexander Lukashenko pointed to a number of flaws in the development of ZAO Bolshie Slaveni. First of all, it applies to the cattle fattening unit and the way it looks inside and outside. “A sorry sight,” the head of state remarked.
He advised to tidy the place up not to scare potential investors off. “You should spruce this place up. You must work as hard as a private farmer does. This project [Kupalovskoye] is of national importance. We must ensure it turns into a success story. Everything is proceeding extremely slowly, there is no system-based work,” Alexander Lukashenko underlined.
The meeting in the local village council involving the local authorities and agriculture chiefs discussed details of the plans for the development of the holding company.
“This will be a new milk processing project. It will be most likely located in the town of Kopys. We will take away this cheese producing shop, the construction of which I once commissioned, because milk will be in abundance. We will build additional milk processing facilities to make cheese and something from the premium price segment that enjoys high demand on the market. We will build a small meat processing plant to process all kinds of meat to be produced here: beef, pork, and we will restore the complex, construct a sow farm. We should move quickly. Maybe we will come up with something else. But the main focus will be on meat, dairy and a retail network in Minsk, Mogilev, Orsha, Shklov… When we make it full cycle from production to trade, then profits will come flowing in,” the head of state said.
The president said that in due time the ideas for the modernization and development of the rural areas were tested at OAO Aleksandriyskoye because he knew that company and the lands very well. “Now it is a beautiful complex. Everything started there. We tested our ideas there. I think these are the golden lands [of the agricultural companies affiliated with the Kupalovskoye agro holding]. If we set up not just a farm but a holding company modeled on OAO Aleksandriyskoye [six small farms merged] then this will be a new stage,” the head of state said.
“But the thing about Aleksandriyskoye and Kupalovskoye is that they need private capital. We will not do it at the expense of the budget. For the time being there is no investor. But we should move forward anyway,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
With regard to agricultural exports, the president talked about the recent opportunities to export beef, poultry and milk to China. Gradually Belarusian enterprises are branching out into the markets of the countries of Africa and other regions of the world.
The president was reported on the progress of the forage harvest in the country and the region, the impact of weather and the crop storage measures, social and economic development.
In November 2016, during a working visit to the region, the president instructed to establish an agro holding, an effective integrated company with the full cycle of production, processing and sales using modern technologies at an agricultural company in Shklov District. Kupalovskoye Agro Holding was registered on 4 July 2017. It incorporates OOO Kupalovskoye - management company of the holding company, ZAP Bolshie Slaveni, OAO Amkodor-Shklov and OAO Novogorodishchenskoye.
