Harvest 2011 festivities take place in Kazan

Harvest 2011 festivities have today taken place in Basket Hall. It is traditionally held on the threshold of the Day of agricultural workers and processing industry. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov attended the event.

The best vegetable growers, animal producers, technicians and fur breeders were invited to the celebrations. The chiefs of agricultural entities who achieved high gross grain crops numbers and kept up livestock figures were honored as well.

A good deal of cereal and leguminous plants has been cropped this year. There is enough home-made goods at the foodstuff market which demonstrates stability.

Tatarstan Minister of agriculture and foodstuff Marat Akhmetov noted it has become a good tradition to celebrate harvest festival on the threshold of the Day of agricultural workers and processing industry, except for 2010, when the severe drought resulted in lower harvests.

The gross grain harvest this year is over 5 mln tons, the average yield per hectare being 32.5 centners. The sugar beet harvest is expected to be about 2 mln tons, that of potato – 1.5 mln tons.

The biggest contributors have traditionally been Nurlat, Muslyumovo, Menzelinsk, Sarmanovo and Buinsk regions, regularly providing a gross harvest of 170 to 181 thousand tons. Farmers in the Aktanysh and Arsk regions have been especially efficient, the minister said.

Today republic takes the first place in Russia by the milk sales and a substantial volume of animal production is exported to other regions.

Marat Akhmetov appreciated the role of investors in development of Tatarstan agro-industrial complex such as VAMIN Tatarstan, Ak Bars Holding, Krasny Vostok - Agro and Agrosila group.

“Dear agriculture workers, veterans and guests! Last year we suffered many troubles. Owing to each of you we managed to save our agriculture complex and this year has brought luck”, Rustam Minnikhanov said.

The president expressed special gratitude to veterans of the sector who were at the wellspring of Tatarstan agro-industrial complex.

He thanked the minister Marat Akhmetov and chiefs of municipalities, and presented letters of gratitude and valuable gifts to the industry’s best employees.

A festive concert with participation of Tatarstan best creative teams, concluded the evening.