Beets will ask strictly – Kommersant

In the midst of spring field work, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting on the development of agriculture. Special Correspondent “Kommersant” Andrey Kolesnikov I am concerned about one thing: we need to decide on the beets.

— At the end of last year, the agricultural production index amounted to 110.2%. A record grain harvest was harvested – almost 158 ​​million tons! – said Vladimir Putin, opening the meeting. – Yes, Dmitry Nikolaevich, almost 158 ​​million tons?

“Yes,” agreed Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev, who was sitting next to him, and therefore chose a week-long quarantine instead of a confident, but still video conference call.

It is unlikely that this decision was difficult for him.

“This has never happened before in recent history! the president continued, as if encouraging him to make bolder remarks.

– This is a record, Vladimir Vladimirovich! – the minister did not keep himself waiting. – And in the days of the RSFSR, this was not the case, and in the recent history of Russia, this was not the case. This is the first time!

They talked about this achievement as if it happened this very second. And the sensations of record results intoxicated and squeezed my chest. Meanwhile, the harvest was last year, and they talked about it in May, when there is not much time left before the next harvest. The governor of the Rostov region, Vasily Golubev, promised to start in the 20th of June.

But, on the other hand, there is something to remember. No one can ultimately forbid two people to rejoice when they both want it.

In addition, in fairness, the results of the agricultural year, which the president spoke about, taking into account all grain sales, are summed up on June 30, 2023.

“I would like to once again congratulate the farmers, all agricultural producers, all the people who work in the countryside! Absolutely everyone! the president added.

And he once again decided to enjoy the numbers:

We provide ourselves with all basic types of food! I looked at reference materials: for grain, self-sufficiency is 185.4%, for meat – 101.6%, for fish – 153%, vegetable oil – 211%, sugar – 103.2%. We approached the required benchmarks for vegetables – 89.2% … For potatoes – 93.4 … In any case, I have here …

He understood that everything in life could be different.

Absolutely correct numbers! Dmitry Patrushev assured him.

And he wouldn’t have said it in vain.

– For milk – 85.7! the hopeful president continued. “That is, despite barriers to foreign trade, Russia was able to increase exports of agro-industrial products to $41.6 billion last year. In the previous year, 2021, it was $37.1 billion. Still, a decent growth!

Well, that was worth agreeing to.

“At the same time, it is necessary, of course, to take into account that a fairly high supply of grain is currently observed on the world market (the grain deal is working.— A.K.), which puts corresponding pressure on prices and affects the future plans of our agricultural producers. All this, of course, must be taken into account in order to exclude a decrease in the area under grain in the country in the future, Mr. Putin warned.

The situation was actually not so rosy. Then Mr. Patrushev also spoke about this.

“Of course, this fully applies to the new subjects of the federation,” the president continued. A.K.) must receive all necessary support from the state, including the possibility of using such instruments as concessional loans, subsidies, and advance costs.

The situation again became cloudless. In the new territories, they were preparing to cultivate the land. Probably, you will have to clear it of mines and shells first. But the eyes are afraid, but the hands do.

The Governor of the Rostov Region, Vasily Golubev, was grateful to the Ministry and personally to the President for their concern for the industry; but, of course, not as immeasurably as the governor of the Krasnodar Territory, Veniamin Kondratyev.

– Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! You thanked the country’s farmers for last year’s harvest, and let me thank you on behalf of the Kuban farmers, thank you personally, because any record and result has prerequisites! Veniamin Kondratiev said.

The main prerequisite, as it became clear, is personally Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. He stabilized prices for fuels and lubricants, and for mineral fertilizers – he too.

— And this year we are talking about stable prices… — stated the governor.

He meant to say superstitious.

– The harvest will be at a level no worse than last year! Veniamin Kondratyev could not stand it and suddenly blurted out.

At that moment, he took on himself, maybe he didn’t even understand what.

He didn’t even want to say it. But here’s what he said.

Rice, beets… Everything is now native, and even seeds…

“Thanks to the work of our scientists, today we are 100 … I emphasize that we are 100% covering the needs of the region in seeds of winter and spring wheat! – exclaimed the governor. – And also rice seeds – our own Kuban selection! One hundred percent!

Both sunflower and corn… At least 50%… And two years ago it was 30…

“Well, we are going at such a record pace… Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich!..” Veniamin Kondratyev could not stop and offered, apparently, to evaluate the incredible all this together with him right now.

It probably seemed to him that everyone here underestimated the meaning of what was happening, they simply could not appreciate it, and he encouraged: well, what are you, well! ..

“Even three, two years ago we talked about a different ratio of domestic seeds and imported ones!.. And corn, and sunflower, and now also beets!.. We have 15 sugar factories in the region… Even 16!..

Another half a minute, and there would have been 20 of them.

I wanted to rejoice, by God, together with Veniamin Kondratiev. But it just hasn’t worked so far. Need to train. To make it work.

A few minutes later he repeated again:

– Various programs, support, subsidies … Well, there’s nothing to even complain about! Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! We hope that this year’s harvest will be worthy! No less than last year (no, it was not said in a rush the first time. It was through suffering.— A.K.)! The report is finished! exhaled the governor of the Krasnodar Territory. “And once again, thank you so much for such support, very real support! This cannot but inspire confidence that the harvest will not be worse!

“You made me happy with the seeds,” Mr. Putin turned on, “although the minister suggests that there are questions about beets … And we need to solve them all together, collectively …

The discussion became so fascinating and somewhere all-consuming that it began to seem to me: you just need to solve everything on the beets – and life will change, and imaginary problems will go away, and everything will become as it should, as it should be and how it will not be, more often it seems , never…

But no, now a firm conviction reigned in my soul: the main thing was to decide on the beets.

“At first you said that the harvest would be no worse than last year,” Mr. Putin nodded. I would very much like it to be no worse, but at least let it be worthy.

Mr. Putin was now laughing, having made life easier for the governor, and Veniamin Kondratiev was laughing with him. Of course, worthy! Maybe he lost his temper, of course, about what is not worse, but not from bad, but from an excess of feelings, from experiences that overwhelm the soul!

Vladimir Putin had already given the floor to the governor of the Saratov Region, Roman Busargin, who had already begun to speak, while Veniamin Kondratiev was smiling, already shyly and as if even secretly, at the conversation that had taken place. Look how they shortened me, his appearance said, and rightly so, and rightly so …

The governor of the Amur region Vasily Orlov, the governor of the Voronezh region Alexander Gusev… Everything here was good and right. The country was sown as usual, like a year ago, and like three, and this was one of the meanings of this generally majestic meeting, the meeting of the winners, if anyone did not understand. We have sowed and we will sow. And in new territories too. And even especially.

Another meaning was that they really discussed the course of spring field work. No matter how anyone else thinks.

Sergei Dankvert, head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, was the only person who expressed extreme concern about the current state of affairs. He is concerned about the infection of animals through seagulls.

“The number of outbreaks is greater than last year… Today we just spoke with the embassy of the North-Western District… Accumulation of seagulls in landfills, where they have nothing to eat… They are attracted to places that are not cultivated fast enough…. All this among wild birds… Both Europe and America got into it… In the EU, about 60 million poultry were destroyed last year due to bird flu, in the USA about the same number… – Sergey Dankvert said about the heavy one. – Japan managed to destroy 14 million! We went through last year without such serious losses, we had about a million in total … We will work it out! As for the African plague, we live with it and understand it! ..

No, I still didn’t understand.

— But thanks to the fact that you said that it is impossible to delay the introduction of the electronic system, today we quickly find everything! – said Sergei Dankvert, addressing, of course, to the president. – We sometimes find products that require destruction in a few hours!

And everyone would be like that.

Andrey Kolesnikov