Mogilev Oblast agribusiness development strategy sketched out

MOGILEV, 8 April (BelTA) – Mogilev Oblast agrarians are supposed to increase milk production up to 1 million tonnes per year by the end of the current five-year period. Chairman of the Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee Anatoly Isachenko mentioned the figure after delivering a report to Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA has learned.

“At present we produce about 780,000 tonnes of milk per year. Therefore, serious tasks lie ahead of us, but I think they are quite feasible given the approaches that have been developed in our oblast,” noted Anatoly Isachenko.

In his words, a separate program for the development of the agricultural sector has been allocated in the region to achieve ambitious goals. The document clearly sets out plans for the production of meat, milk, and grain as well as measures to provide livestock farming with high-quality grass feed.

“We have allocated a program for the development of the agricultural sector of our region, which clearly spells out how much meat, milk, and grain we need to produce in addition to providing the animal husbandry industry with grass feed. And this is a natural structure of the area under crops that we systematically change every year. This produces a positive effect,” emphasized the head of the oblast administration. “While in 2021 we had 26 feed units per head, today we already have more than 30. And today we are talking not only about the volumes of grass feed but also about their quality and proper ratio. This is why work is ongoing, and it is producing a positive effect.”

According to Anatoly Isachenko, four main milk processing plants operate in Mogilev Oblast: OAO Babushkina Krynka, OAO Molochnyye Gorki, the Shklov butter plant as well as a private enterprise in Shklov District. Raw material zones are assigned to each of them.

The head of the oblast administration explained that such assignment is necessary not only for guaranteed supplies of raw materials but also for processing enterprises to act as integrators, investing in the development of their zones. For example, Gorki District supplies all the milk OAO Molochnyye Gorki needs. Two agricultural organizations of the district are under the trust management of this enterprise. Investments are channeled into these enterprises, new dairy complexes are being built, which makes it possible to increase the volume of incoming raw materials. A similar model works with Babushkina Krynka Company: the enterprise advances funds to agricultural enterprises and helps buy mineral fertilizers. Full interaction is taking place.

A new processing plant with a capacity of 300 tonnes of milk per day is under construction in Shklov District. The head of the region is confident that the facility will be fully provided with raw materials, as the district already produces a similar volume.

Anatoly Isachenko also noted that the new plant will act as an integrator in the development of its raw material zone. “Therefore, such good interaction between processing enterprises and milk producers will produce a positive effect,” remarked the head of the oblast administration.

The ultimate goal of all this work is not only to increase gross yields but also to increase revenue, raise wages in rural areas, and ensure the comprehensive development of the region. “We strive to obtain, process, and sell as much products as possible. Certainly, we have results but they are not as big as we would like, but we should always strive to get more,” summarized Anatoly Isachenko.