MINSK, 18 December (BelTA) - Despite the record harvest, there are significant gaps in Belarus’ agricultural sector, and they must be eliminated literally within the coming year, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in his Address to the Belarusian People and Parliament on 18 December, BelTA has learned.
The head of state drew attention to the need for sustainable and profitable food production. “The sector annually brings the country billions of U.S. dollars in export revenue. This year it exceeded $9.5 billion,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He recalled that this year, through the efficient efforts of farmers, a near-record harvest was secured: 11 million tonnes of grain and 6 million tonnes of sugar beet. “This has never happened before. Remember what kind of year it was. To be honest, when the target for grain was being set and our farmers stated 11 million [tonnes]... Well, I agreed: ‘Let’s see how you achieve it’. In animal husbandry, we will surpass a new milestone, producing over 9 million tonnes of milk. Just think about these unique figures. It amounts to more than one tonne of grain and one tonne of milk per Belarusian. How many such states are there? Almost none,” the president emphasized.
At the same time, the Belarusian leader noted, there are numerous gaps in agriculture. “The reason lies in the widespread lack of technological and production discipline, in falsification of records and theft. It is regrettable. This drags along a whole trail of problems: poor-quality feed and animal care, disease and loss of livestock, negligent handling of expensive agricultural machinery, and so on. All of this must be eradicated from our practices. Not over the course of a five-year plan, but literally within the coming year,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
The head of state emphasized that during a recent conversation with the prime minister, he drew attention to these negative issues. “I understand, the former governor [Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin previously served as Minsk Oblast Governor] knows the problem. And when I point out the negatives to him, he tells me: ‘But we are doing well over there...’ Meanwhile, some districts of Minsk Oblast, including where he worked (though only four districts), have been ‘tumbling’ year after year. But surely order can be restored in four districts!” the president is convinced.
“They are stuck in their ways, missing specific problems for the sake of general figures. The outcomes of the Vitebsk meeting will be visible in every single district without exception. I’ll say more, I even considered publishing a 100-page volume for all Belarusian People’s Congress delegates, detailing the shortcomings in agriculture identified at the Vitebsk Oblast meeting,” the head of state stressed. “The officials responsible have received this hundred-page report. We will consider further steps if this situation continues across the country.”
The Belarusian leader stated that such an attitude towards agriculture is unacceptable. “Mass mortality of young livestock, of the cows that feed us. We can’t even feed the cattle... If someone can’t manage it, take that livestock away and give it to someone who can. No, it’s all red tape. Then they take offense at the strictness of the demands. There will be no concessions. I strongly recommend that all interested parties engage in this work. The time for persuasion and explanations is over. Only concrete actions and results,” he concluded.
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