The Ministry of Agriculture proposed to establish a quota for the import of seeds

The Ministry of Agriculture of Russia proposed to introduce a system of quotas for the supply of imported seeds, informs Interfax with reference to First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut.

“We lived on foreign seeds all the time. Even those suppliers who told us that they would never leave, they will receive some kind of order from unfriendly countries, and 90% of the seeds are unfriendly countries,” Loot said. Since seeds are related to food security, Russia needs to move to quotas for the supply of imported seeds, gradually reducing quotas, she adds.

According to the Deputy Minister, now it is important to start stimulating the development of breeding, so that business, and not just the scientific sphere, can do this. Most of all, Russia depends on the supply of sugar beets, potatoes, corn and sunflowers, Loot notes. “And the issue of breeders is the key here, because, unfortunately, we have a small number of breeders, even beginners have no motivation to do this,” she says.

July 27, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin saidthat vegetable producers will receive subsidies for agricultural work under the new federal project. It is expected that the federal project on vegetables will begin its work in 2023, said Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev. The draft law will consolidate all support measures for vegetables, and will also add measures taking into account agricultural work. Mishustin believes that by 2030 the production of vegetables in the country will increase by 20%, in particular potatoes – by 18%.

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