KIROVSK DISTRICT, 28 August (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko is on a working trip to Mogilev Oblast on 28 August. The head of state will tour the Rassvet agricultural enterprise in Kirovsk District, BelTA has learned.
The discussion will focus on the potato industry, spanning the selection of domestic varieties to the production of processed goods such as chips and starch. The president will also be updated on progress in field work, with details from agricultural enterprises in Mogilev Oblast, along with a comprehensive national overview.
During his trip, Aleksandr Lukashenko plans to visit a potato field at the Rassvet enterprise. The head of state will review the potato harvest’s progress, along with the technologies for its processing, storage, and the overall development of the domestic potato industry.
According to the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the annual potato output in the public sector is sufficient to meet domestic demand and generate a surplus for export. However, this year, demand for Belarusian potatoes in other countries was so high that it led to shortages in domestic stores.
The head of state intervened to address the situation. On May 8, Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that potato prices in Russia were several times higher than in Belarus, which had prompted producers to prioritize the more lucrative export market.
“The government told me: ‘Aleksandr Grigoryevich, don’t worry, we have tens of thousands of tonnes of seed potatoes and we will sell them’. I reminded them that I am a historian. During the Great Patriotic War, people were dying of hunger in Leningrad, but they preserved the seeds so that they could make bread later. Do you think that a potato shortage in Russia and other countries will be overcome in a short time? No. It will last for several years. We have seed potatoes. Let’s endure for another month (I know some don’t like potato quality in our stores), then we plant seed potatoes and will harvest ten times more than we planted. Then we will be able to sell them at a good price. This is a smart plan from a farmer’s perspective,” the head of state remarked.
“Some may worry about the quality of potatoes. We need to persevere for a month. But we will not be left without potatoes,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
He stated that the State Control Committee was tasked with studying the situation across all retail chains to determine which products are in short supply.
“Then I will call the governors and ask: Guys, I warned you in the autumn about the need to create stabilization stocks. We needed to set aside reserves to ensure the food supply. And what does this include? Potatoes, first and foremost. Apples and other products. Where are they? Of course, farmers need to earn money. If they don’t sell potatoes for export and don’t receive foreign currency, we will have to support them from the budget. I would rather not. Because we need to support teachers, doctors, and retirees. This is also a lesson for us. I believe this will be the last lesson for the government. We need to improve our storage facilities and make stock of the world’s best potatoes so that our people never face such a situation again,” the president pointed out.
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