Rustam Minnikhanov at food safety forum: Tatarstan heads for import substitution and maintenance of its enterprises

On June 4, at a plenary session “Main food safety threats of Russia as priority opportunities for investments” of the 1st national food forum in Rostov-on-Don, Interim President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov said that for the last seven years private investments in agricultural sector of the republic made 140 billion roubles, and will amount to 30 billion roubles in 2015. Moreover, the agricultural sector is supported by both regional and federal budgets.

Minnikhanov informed that 3.4 million hectares of farm land in the republic is constantly cultivated and the region supplies itself with food. He continued that there are 4.5 thousand farms and 4, 000 households in the republic which provide half of gross agricultural product of the region.
Minnikhanov noted that Tatarstan was ranked third among Russian regions by the volume of gross agricultural product, first by milk production, and second by potato production.

Among million cities, prices for 13 basic foodstuffs in Kazan are the lowest. Ongoing monitoring of price formation is carried out to restrain price rise, and agricultural fairs are held in towns of the republic.

“We are building modern wholesale distribution complexes and storages under infrastructure development,” Minnikhanov said. He also noted that it is planned to increase meat production and consolidate support of producers of vegetables.

In general, Rustam Minnikhanov said, we want to increase the share of high value products.

During the plenary session speakers focused on state policy in the sphere of Russian agricultural sector support, providing favourable conditions for investments in agricultural industry, investment attractiveness of domestic food industry through the example of the Republic of Tatarstan, innovative development of domestic fodder resources for increasing the volume and efficiency of domestic meat production.

Most questions at the session were addressed to Rustam Minnikhanov.