An archive photo
MINSK, 28 February (BelTA) – At a meeting to discuss the new price regulation system on 28 February, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that people should be able to afford domestic products, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that the inflation rate in Belarus is overall low, however, figures are not so optimistic for some groups of products. “First of all, these are vegetables. Prices for them increase by 15-20% every winter. And what did the government promise me?” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
The president reminded: if there is a shortage of tomatoes and cucumbers on store shelves in the winter/spring period, it is necessary to grow these vegetables in the right time and in the right amount.
“Let's build greenhouses, we can do it. It can be done very fast. Let's build them and we'll get more [products]. The government once told me: 'Let's put more light on cucumbers and tomatoes and they will grow by themselves.' Did they do it? Yes, they did, but on fifty hectares out of a thousand. Using light or not is your business. But there must be a result,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention to the prime cost of products. In his opinion, it remains high.
“Our costs are over the top and we work disgustingly. Let's take cucumbers and tomatoes, for example. Everyone is shouting: 'It's a loss-making business. We can't do it.' Has anyone come to grips with the costs? Has at least one governor got involved in this matter? I'm not even talking about [First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai] Snopkov who was tasked with addressing this problem. Who sorted out the costs?” asked the head of state. “If an agricultural enterprise has a greenhouse and the prime cost is minus eight there, take a look at what they spend their money on, maybe there is some unnecessary spending. If so, then the manager should ride a horse, not drive a Mercedes. Have you scrutinized what makes up such costs? Maybe this manager brings us all these baskets of products not only for holidays, but also for morning and evening meals? And do you think he spends his own money on it? No, it's all included in the prime cost and consequently in the final price of a product,” the president said.
The head of state explained that he was deliberately exaggerating things in order to show what can make up the cost of a product.
“Let's look at the prime cost of a cucumber, a tomato, and identify the enterprises that we should emulate (if we want to scale up their practices). It will not be the best in terms of profitability of production of cucumbers and tomatoes, but not the worst either. Then the worst will have to rise up to the level of average companies, and those who are above average will be okay. Who will tell me today what the prime cost of this cucumber and tomato is? No one. This is your job,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
He demanded a report on the state of things in this field and on measures taken to ensure the availability of these vitamin-rich products for the population.
“I am not asking you to regulate imported exotic products like artichokes or avocados. Let these avocados cost as much as they cost. My job is to provide people with domestically produced vegetables and fruit. People should be able to afford staple foods like cabbage, onions, potatoes, carrots, apples,” Aleksandr Lukashenko demanded.
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